Knee decisions — 2013

The Board found that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are not related to service, as there is no evidence of chronic symptoms during or immediately after service. The Veteran's current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The case will be returned to the Board after the scheduled hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disorder was not incurred in or a result of active duty service and is not presumptively linked thereto. The evidence did not show continuity of symptomatology since service separation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including locating his Substantive Appeal and obtaining Social Security Administration records. The case will be reviewed again after the requested development.

The Board has vacated the January 2011 decision and remanded the case for further development, including obtaining relevant treatment records identified by the Veteran and providing a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any currently diagnosed left knee condition.

The Veteran's right knee disability has not caused incapacitating exacerbations or limitation of extension to 10 degrees or limitation of flexion to 60 degrees over the appeal period, and thus his initial disability rating for traumatic arthritis of the right knee remains at 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and denied his claim.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 10 percent, and the appeal for a higher rating has been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disabilities, left ankle disability, and headaches have been granted with an effective date of January 22, 1983. The claim for a TDIU has also been granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for a new examination.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original 30 percent rating for his service-connected chondromalacia, left knee, status post anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus repair, with degenerative joint disease. The April 2010 reduction of the disability rating to 10 percent was found to be improper due to a lack of compliance with relevant regulations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease and left hip tendonitis/bursitis. The Veteran's conditions are found to be related to his service-connected left knee disability, which caused him to alter his gait.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling him for VA examinations to evaluate the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spondylosis with degenerative changes was granted. Claims for arthritis of the left wrist and hand, both feet, left elbow, right elbow, shoulders, hips, ankles, and knees were denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, but granted a 10 percent rating for gastric ulcer with Barrett's esophagus and intestinal metaplasia effective September 21, 1998. The Veteran's low back disability was also granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected pes planus.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including instability and arthritis, is rated at 20 percent effective from March 30, 2004.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her back and knee conditions, prevent her from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The criteria for a TDIU evaluation are met on an extra-schedular basis.

The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the left knee, post-surgery for partial lateral meniscectomy, is currently rated at 20 percent. The current rating adequately compensates for his symptoms and functional limitations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and need for further medical opinions.

The Board finds that the appellant's left knee disability is not related to service or caused by a service-connected condition, and therefore, does not warrant service connection.