Knee decisions — 2014

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability and granted service connection based on evidence showing that his current degenerative joint disease is related to his in-service combat injuries.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for SLE, a left knee disability, and an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to active duty or post-service continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and severity of his back disability, as well as whether he has a current left knee disability that was caused or aggravated by service-connected right knee replacement. The Veteran also requested an updated VA spine examination.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a right knee disability. The Board finds that an addendum VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's current right knee disability and whether it is related to his in-service injury.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for left shoulder and left ankle disabilities, but has dismissed his claim of residuals of pneumonia. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his bilateral knee disabilities. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board is reopening the claims for arthritis of the knees and shoulders, but remanding them to allow further development. The other claims are also being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee condition, low back condition, and right foot condition. The Veteran's postoperative residuals of tenorrhapy and neurorrhapy of the right hand were also not granted an increased evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis with painful motion of the toes, ankles and knees is being remanded due to a lack of a VA examination. The examiner must determine if he has arthritis with painful motion of the toes, ankles, and knees, and whether it is related to his service-connected bilateral claw foot.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and consideration of outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining an addendum opinion from the VA examiner who conducted a previous examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's right shoulder and knee disabilities were found to be service-connected, while her migraine headaches were not. Accrued benefits for the right knee and right shoulder conditions are granted, but the claim for migraine headaches is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's claimed right knee, low back, and gastrointestinal disorders were not incurred during active military service, have not been manifested by continuous symptoms since service, if involving arthritis, were not manifested to the required minimum compensable degree of at least 10-percent disabling within a year of separation from service, and are not otherwise shown to be causally related or attributable to the Veteran's service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for higher initial disability ratings for his right knee disability was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new examination to determine the severity of his gouty arthritis of the left knee, including any flare-ups and functional loss. The claim will be readjudicated after the examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's lower back disorder may be presumed to have been incurred in service, but denied service connection for right and left knee disorders.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records of treatment and examinations related to the appellant's claimed disabilities. The issues on appeal are service connection for a stomach disorder, right leg disorder, joint pain, and scar.