Knee decisions — 2015

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability did not have onset during service and was not caused by his active service. The arthritis of the left knee did not manifest within one year of separation from active service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability and bilateral knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including rescheduling VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition, bilateral knee conditions, and left wrist condition. However, the claims were ultimately denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's low back and right knee disabilities are being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD and bilateral knee strains have been granted a 100% evaluation for the entire appeal period, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's service-connected IBS renders him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the claim for major depressive disorder is no longer in dispute. Service connection has been established for a spinal disability (S1 grade 1 spondylolisthesis with symptomatology that manifested within one year of separation from active duty). The Veteran's weight loss condition does not manifest during or as a result of active military service, and the claim for chest pain is reopened but denied. Evidence received since the September 1997 rating decision is both new and material and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral shoulder pain, bilateral knee pain, headaches, and sinusitis.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected right knee disability, left knee disability, and right ankle disability have been denied. The disabilities are currently rated as 20 percent for the right knee chondromalacia patella with instability, 10 percent each for the left knee chondromalacia patella with instability and painful motion, and noncompensable for the limitation of extension in the left knee.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a videoconference hearing. The appeal is not yet resolved regarding service connection for knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA examination, and readjudicating the claims.

The Veteran's right and left shoulder disorders, as well as his migraine headaches and stomach disorder (Barrett's Esophagus with Gastritis and Esophagitis), are considered to be due to undiagnosed illnesses or other qualifying chronic disabilities related to service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.,The Veteran served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations, which includes Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and airspace above these locations.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for service connection for restless leg syndrome, a headache disorder, right knee disorder, and bilateral hip disorder prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current right ankle, bilateral hip, or bilateral knee disorder during the appeal period. The Veteran's service-connected low back disability and abnormal gait are not found to be the cause of her claimed hip and knee disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities do not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left knee disability is being remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability and is granting it. The remaining claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, right wrist disability, and acquired psychiatric disability are remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and records, as well as a new rating decision based on the updated evidence.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his low back and left knee disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a disability rating higher than 20 percent for the low back disability or higher than 10 percent for the left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any left shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right knee and right hip disabilities are related to his military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's medical services provided at Baptist Medical Center on April 11, 2013 were not authorized by VA and are therefore denied.