Knee decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case for a video conference hearing and to address issues related to reopening service connection claims.

The Veteran's service-connected arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease with hypertension and angina, as well as his total knee replacement of the right knee, did not cause or contribute to his death. The Board finds that these conditions were not related to his death.

The Board has determined that further development is needed in order to adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including a TDIU claim and an evaluation of his right knee disability. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder disorder and right knee disorder, finding that these conditions are related to his active duty military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right knee and left knee disabilities have been dismissed as he has withdrawn them.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee, right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disorders are not service-connected as secondary to her service-connected degenerative disc disease, L5-S1.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that there was no evidence of chronic left knee disorder symptomatology during or since service and concluding that the diagnosed left knee disorder is not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee sprains, as well as his claim for service connection for chronic back pain were all denied by the RO.

The Board found no current diagnosed bilateral knee or right shoulder disability and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lung disability and bilateral knee disability, including as due to asbestos exposure, are being remanded for additional development.

The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for instability of the right knee and a 20 percent rating for arthritis, both under Diagnostic Codes 5260 (limitation of flexion) and 5257 (recurrent subluxation or lateral instability), respectively.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a left knee disability due to disease or injury incurred in service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and provide a supplemental VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The claims will be re-adjudicated after the examinations are completed.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation, and thus denied his claim for an increased rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left and right knees, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current knee disabilities and his active duty service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability and is now considering its merits. The Veteran asserts that his current right knee disability is related to an injury he sustained in service, but the VA examiner found no link between the current condition and military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical spine and right knee disabilities were denied as the evidence did not show that his conditions warranted a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for service connection for cholecystitis and post-operative residuals of gallbladder removal, as well as increased ratings for his right knee and left patella disabilities. The issues regarding the appropriate disability ratings for these conditions are more appropriately characterized.

The Board has granted service connection for a right foot disorder as secondary to the Veteran's right knee injury, with a 10% rating effective from December 2008.