Knee decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal for right ear hearing loss was withdrawn. The claim for left knee disability has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence, but service connection remains denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of service dates and periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA), as well as a VA examination to determine if any pre-existing conditions were aggravated by service. The Veteran's hearing loss and right knee disorder are both considered direct service connection cases.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and a new examination for his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a left shoulder, right knee, or left knee disability. The service connection criteria for these conditions are not met as there is no objective evidence establishing a current disability.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a right knee disorder due to new evidence that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The Veteran's current right knee disorder is related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is not related to his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder, left shoulder, right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The back disability was also found to be incurred during active military service.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to her failure to appear at a previously scheduled videoconference hearing. Her right femoral neck stress fracture, posttraumatic arthritis of the left knee, and arthritis of the right knee have been rated as 10 percent each.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability warrants a 20 percent rating, effective from the date of the initial claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing right knee disability was clearly and unmistakably aggravated by service, but there is no current evidence of a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to evaluate the severity of his service-connected left knee disability and determine if there are any symptomatic residuals of left knee semilunar cartilage removal. The claim will be re-adjudicated after this development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine and right knee, as well as his claim for an increased evaluation for bilateral pes planus. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right knee disability has been granted. He is now receiving a 10 percent rating for arthritis and a 20 percent rating for symptoms of instability, locking, buckling, and effusion from August 15, 2009 to April 9, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by his military service and did not manifest within one year of discharge.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims and granted service connection for bilateral knee disabilities (status post replacement) and arthritis of the feet, finding that these conditions are related to his service-connected pes planus with bony protuberance at the base of the left great toe.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is not service-connected, and denied increased evaluations for diabetes and diabetic neuropathy.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for his left knee, hip, and back disabilities as secondary to his right knee disability. The Board finds that a remand is necessary to obtain updated medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left knee, status post total knee replacement is being remanded due to a lack of a VA examination. The examiner will be asked to determine if the current condition is related to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for right knee post-operative meniscectomy and subsequent total knee arthroplasty, finding that new and material evidence has been submitted. The case is now remanded to determine if the condition was aggravated by service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities has been withdrawn. The Board finds that the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 have been met, and he is entitled to compensation for additional right knee disability as a result of VA right knee replacement in August 2005.,The Veteran's appeal seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a left knee disability secondary to the right knee disability remains pending.