Knee decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that additional examinations and development are necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including for his service connection issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service treatment records and a need for additional examinations. The Veteran's claims for low back, shoulder, and knee disorders are on appeal.

The Veteran seeks compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 for additional disability resulting from VA surgery in December 2007 and subsequent surgeries. The Board has ordered a remand to obtain relevant medical records, conduct examinations, and determine if the Veteran's current disabilities are related to the VA treatment.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right knee disability, manifested by a joint replacement due to degenerative joint changes, is due to disease or injury incurred in active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's left below the knee amputation was not caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and denied the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left knee disability, residuals of a fractured left tibia, and a left metatarsal disability due to lack of current disabilities. The Veteran was provided with VA examinations but no new examination is required as this claim has been decided.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed left hip, left knee, and thoracolumbar spine disabilities did not manifest during service or within one year of discharge. The current evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including cancer and joint issues, were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability secondary to his left knee disability and an increased rating for the left knee disability are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. A new VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the disabilities and whether they have been aggravated by the service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy, finding that the Veteran's current condition is likely due to his military service. The issue of arthritis of the right knee, hips, and left shoulder remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, right leg, left leg, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was not manifested by ankylosis of the spine, incapacitating episodes of at least 6 weeks within any 12 month period, or associated neurological manifestations of the lower extremities or bowel/ bladder manifestations.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service treatment records and requests for VA treatment records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending, as well as a request for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD and TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disorder, concluding that his current condition is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities secondary to his service-connected right knee disorder have been denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is due to noise exposure during his military service. The claim for a bilateral knee disability remains pending and will be remanded for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral pes planus, and hammertoes and a bunion of the right foot. The claims were not reopened as new and material evidence was not received.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of ocular pressure, hyperlipidemia, and dental trauma issues due to her withdrawal during the October 2012 hearing. The claims for increased ratings for cervical spine disability, toes of the left and right feet, and osteoporosis are also dismissed as they have been withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and increased rating for his right knee disability was denied. His initial claim for an earlier effective date has been withdrawn. The Board found that the Veteran's current right knee disability does not meet criteria for a higher evaluation based on limitation of motion or instability, and there is no evidence of incapacitating episodes warranting separate evaluations under Diagnostic Codes 5260-5261 and 5257. His claim for service connection for his right foot disability was also denied as the current condition does not appear to be related to service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran is receiving the maximum schedular rating for residuals of status post right partial lateral meniscectomy.