Knee decisions — 2013

The Veteran's left knee disability, which included arthritis and chondromalacia patella, was rated at 10 percent prior to March 27, 2006. The VA examiner found no limitation of motion or instability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including determining eligibility for VA benefits and obtaining medical records.

The Board granted separate ratings for instability of the left and right knees from February 8, 2002 to April 19, 2002. The Veteran was also granted a compensable evaluation for instability of the left knee from April 20, 2002 to March 31, 2010. A rating in excess of 10 percent for instability of the right knee was denied.

The Board found no evidence of a service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, or left knee disabilities. The conditions were not shown to be related to his in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board has vacated the April 2013 decision and remanded the Veteran's claims for further development. The Veteran's left knee disability claim was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis related to service, while his PTSD claim remains denied due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's osteoarthritis of the left knee and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine are related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have physical residuals secondary to nitrogen narcosis.,Degenerative arthritis of the hips was first manifested years after service and is unrelated to service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for low back strain with degenerative disc disease, L5-S1, was granted. The initial rating assigned is 10 percent prior to April 8, 2009 and 40 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a current VA examination and for obtaining outstanding relevant VA treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral cuboid tunnel syndrome, bilateral patellofemoral syndrome, and migraine headaches. These conditions are all found to be as likely as not related to the Veteran's active duty.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing left knee condition was not aggravated by service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current extent of his right knee disability, including pain and instability. The RO should also reconsider which diagnostic codes are most appropriate to evaluate his symptoms.

The Board found no evidence to support the appellant's claims for service connection of a bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral knee disability, hypertension, or respiratory disability. The Board concluded that these conditions were not caused by his service.

The Veteran's knee and foot disorders are not rated higher than the current 10 percent ratings due to lack of evidence showing more severe impairment.

The Veteran's left knee sprain with Baker's cyst was granted service connection and assigned a noncompensable initial rating. The issue of an increased rating to more than 10 percent from June 18, 2009 remains on appeal.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 60 percent prior to May 6, 2013. The Veteran's left biceps injury with thoracic outlet syndrome does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.,VA examinations and treatment records do not support an evaluation in excess of the assigned ratings for either condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability was reopened, and the Board granted service connection. The Veteran also received an increased rating of 20% for his lumbar spine disability with separate ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's right above the knee amputation was not caused by VA treatment, and therefore compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for her right knee disability is mixed, with some issues granted and others not. The Veteran has been awarded a temporary evaluation of 100 percent for the period from June 16, 2008 to July 31, 2009 due to surgical treatment necessitating convalescence. She currently receives a 30 percent rating since August 1, 2009.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient nexus opinions regarding the Veteran's right knee disability and left ear hearing loss.