Knee decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of his current knee condition.

The Veteran's appeal of his service connection claims for residuals of a broken right fifth finger and residuals of a broken nose have been withdrawn. The remaining issues are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the reopening of claims for left condition, right knee condition, and low back pain.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine DDD, left knee osteoarthropathy, and right knee osteoarthropathy as secondary to his service-connected hip fracture and replacement.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee was reopened due to new and material evidence, and it is now granted.,Service connection for a right knee disability remains denied as there is no established link between current symptoms and service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete medical records and need for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the need for updated VA examinations and treatment records.

The Board has decided that there are outstanding VA treatment records pertaining to the Veteran's left knee disability and ordered their procurement. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including new examinations and readjudication of his claims. The case will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability rating and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain VA treatment records and for further development.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for service connection for hypertension and a TDIU. The Board has remanded the hypertension claim due to disagreement with its denial, while the TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic knee disorder during service and concluded that any current arthritis is more likely due to aging rather than an in-service injury. The pulmonary disorder claim was not addressed as it involves contaminated water exposure, which requires case-by-case adjudication.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities were rated at 10 percent prior to August 25, 2009, based on x-ray evidence of arthritis. The Board found that the Veteran is entitled to a higher rating due to limitation of motion.

The Board denied service connection for familial polyposis of the colon and denied an increased rating for right knee disability. The Veteran's familial polyposis was found to be a genetic defect, not related to service. For his right knee disability, the Board found that the current 10 percent rating adequately reflects the severity of the condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his right knee arthritis and instability.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee conditions did not manifest in service, arthritis was not shown during the first post-service year, and any currently manifested condition of either knee is not etiologically related to her period of service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral ankle disability, including a left ankle disability leading to a below-the-knee amputation, is not causally or etiologically related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, left elbow disability, left hip disability, and left knee disability are related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right knee disorder is withdrawn. The claims of service connection for left knee and lung disorders are denied as there is no evidence to support these conditions were incurred during active duty or due to Agent Orange exposure.