Knee decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for residuals of a left thumb fracture, left hand and ring finger pain, heart murmur, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), bilateral knee disorder, bronchitis, and low back disorder has been denied as there is no current disability. The VA examiner found no evidence of abnormality of the left thumb.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations to determine if his knee and leg conditions are related to his service-connected degenerative lumbar strain.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a scar of the right lower leg is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran incurred a scar during active duty and it is related to his in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to his request for a Travel Board hearing, which was not scheduled. The case will be processed again after scheduling the requested hearing.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed bilateral knee disabilities, as there is conflicting evidence about their etiology.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions. The new evidence received since the last denial supports a finding that these conditions are related to active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of her service-connected lumbar spine, left knee, right knee, and left wrist disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and a VA examination. The issues of increased ratings for left knee disabilities will be addressed after the additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected knee disabilities and their impact on his employability.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome have been rated as limited flexion without additional limitation due to pain, fatigue or lack of endurance. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that either condition approximates criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a psychiatric examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected left knee total arthroplasty did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent, as it did not manifest severe painful motion or weakness.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability, diagnosed as chondromalcia patella, was not incurred in or aggravated by service.,The preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that the Veteran has a current right foot disability related to an in-service injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and higher ratings for his bilateral knee disorder, COPD, tinea pedis, sinusitis, and PTSD. The appeals were not about service connection at all.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee status post arthroplasty, finding that it was not secondary to a service-connected right leg disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a cervical spine disability, granted a 10 percent rating for the low back disability from May 4, 2006 to February 23, 2011, and a 20 percent rating since then, and denied service connection for tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral eye disorder, cervical spine disorder (secondary to service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine), right knee disorder (secondary to service-connected left knee scar), and acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found no direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for left hip and lumbar spine conditions, including as secondary to her service-connected right knee disability. However, it denied the claim for an initial compensable rating for right knee surgical scars.

The Veteran's appeal is granted for increased ratings for his right knee DJD, right knee limitation of extension, left knee DJD prior to February 26, 2013, and left knee replacement residuals from April 1, 2014 to August 17, 2014. The effective date is not specified as the rating was granted prospectively.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left knee disability and its impact on his employability.