Knee decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete records and potential need for further medical examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disorder is not related to his service-connected right knee condition or military service, and thus denied service connection for a left knee disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and residuals of hammertoe repair and exostectomy bilateral feet, as well as his claim for a temporary 100% rating based on surgical or other treatment necessitating convalescence for bilateral hammertoe disability. The decision found that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his service-connected right ankle disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for restoration of a 50 percent schedular rating for left knee degenerative joint disease was granted. The case is now remanded to the RO for re-adjudication of his claim for an increased schedular rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the left knee and plantar fasciitis with degenerative changes.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain medical records and provide an opinion on whether the current right knee disorder is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC for further development of his right knee disability claim.

The Veteran's appeal is granted, with a compensable evaluation for chronic sprain of the right ankle and an effective date prior to April 5, 2007.

The Board has determined that the reductions in ratings for left knee degenerative joint disease and instability were proper, with effective dates of January 1, 2009. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are denied as his conditions do not warrant higher ratings.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for left varicocele. The appeals for periodontal disease, residuals of a supraspinatus tendon tear of the left shoulder, and degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine prior to August 2, 2012 have been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to incomplete records and potential issues with the examination process.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee osteoarthritis and instability have been rated at the highest available disability evaluation of 20 percent, and no higher. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran's left, right knee and right ankle disorders did not manifest during or as a result of active military service and are not secondary to his service-connected postoperative hammertoe disorders. As such, the claims for these conditions were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disorder is at least as likely as not related to his military service, including strain on his knees during active duty. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected left knee disability was denied, as the evidence did not show actual or functional flexion limited to 30 degrees.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeals for the claims remanded by the July 2012 decision.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee and left hip disabilities, finding that they are proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected left foot disability. The effective date is not specified as it relates to a new determination.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his low back and left knee disabilities, as well as his PTSD, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support ratings in excess of those currently assigned.

The Veteran's left leg disability, including his service-connected gunshot wound and osteoarthritis, is currently rated at 40 percent. The Board denied a higher rating as the evidence does not support such an increase in severity.