Knee decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability is not related to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection. However, a new examination is needed to provide an adequate analysis of the relationship between any current left knee condition and service.

The Veteran's appeal is for an increased rating for his service-connected right knee disability, with mild degenerative disease. The RO previously granted service connection and assigned a 10 percent initial rating effective June 29, 2006. The Veteran asserts that the condition has worsened since the last VA examination in October 2009.

The Veteran's right knee chondromalacia patella was found to be incurred in service, with the Board granting service connection. The issue of what evaluation is warranted for bilateral calcaneal spurs with plantar fasciitis from June 15, 2007 remains pending.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disorder, and thus the appeal is being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the current nature and etiology of the Veteran's right knee condition. The Veteran's claim for service connection will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability must be remanded due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding his claimed conditions, their etiology, and potential relationship with military service.

The Board has determined that the case should be remanded to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for SMC under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1114(s) and whether he is substantially confined as a direct result of service-connected disability/disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right knee or left knee disability, and her claimed disabilities are not related to service. For her claimed ankle disorders, she does not have a current diagnosis of a right ankle disorder, and her left ankle condition is attributed to non-service-connected risk factors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the feet, ankles and knees as there is no competent evidence to support a current diagnosis or etiology of such conditions. The claim for SMC was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his service, including any in-service assault. As a result, he is denied service connection for all of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee disability, sinus condition, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and memory loss. Service connection for stroke condition was not established.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a video conference hearing before the Board. The issues include seeking an extraschedular rating, service connection, and evaluations for various disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back and bilateral knee disabilities are not related to service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's substantive appeal was not timely filed, and the Board has dismissed the appeal due to this jurisdictional issue.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied, and the application to reopen a claim for service connection for a back disability has also been denied. The remaining claims are either not supported by new evidence or do not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's appeal of his initial increased ratings for post-operative medial and lateral meniscectomy, torn ligaments of the left knee has been withdrawn.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee and left leg disabilities are not related to his military service, but granted service connection for these conditions based on direct evidence of their existence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran. The claims for increased ratings for left shoulder and right knee disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability was granted an increased rating to 20 percent effective from April 14, 2003. The separate issue of limitation of extension was also granted a 10 percent rating effective from August 2007.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck, bilateral knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during his active service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.