Knee decisions — 2015

The Board found that the Veteran's left ankle and left knee disabilities pre-existed his military service, and thus could not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The evidence also clearly showed that these conditions did not worsen during service beyond their natural progression.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left wrist gouty arthritis have resulted in painful motion of the wrists throughout the rating period, warranting a 10 percent rating for each.,The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee gouty arthritis with chondromalacia and degenerative changes have resulted in functional impairment due to pain on movement, swelling, and interference with sitting, standing, and weight-bearing, warranting a 10 percent rating for each.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right foot disabilities, including a right ankle fracture and an Achilles tendon rupture, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The left knee disability was also not established as being related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to evaluate whether the Veteran has actual loss or loss of use of his right leg due to service-connected conditions, including neuropathy of the right lower extremity, arthritis of the right hip, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and ruptured right Achilles tendon. The examiner must provide complete rationales for all opinions expressed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee strain is related to service and granted service connection for this condition. The Veteran's allergic rhinitis with deviated septum was also granted an initial evaluation of 10 percent, as it meets the criteria for a non-compensable disability rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disorder and left knee strain are not related to service, as there is no evidence of such disorders during or within one year after service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability requires further development and is therefore being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examinations and missing medical records. The Veteran's right knee disability claim will be reviewed again after all necessary development is completed.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right knee disorder is not related to his military service and denies his claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on an extraschedular basis for his service-connected left knee disabilities are being remanded to the Board for further development, including obtaining additional VA medical records and considering whether an extraschedular rating is warranted.

The Veteran's claim of compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for bilateral above-the-knee amputations is being remanded due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for a medical opinion regarding whether his amputations were caused by inadequate care from VA providers.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are service-connected, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral knee conditions were not aggravated by his military service and denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and thyroid cancer have been reopened, but new evidence does not establish that these conditions are related to service. The claim for increased rating for diabetes mellitus is denied, as the current evaluation adequately compensates the Veteran. The TDIU claim remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle disability, arthritis of hands and elbows, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and increased ratings for left and right knee disabilities. The reasons given were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were granted. He was awarded a combined rating of 60 percent, which is the maximum available under the applicable regulations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to May 25, 2010.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for a VA examination and review of updated treatment records. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if any currently diagnosed right knee disability was incurred or aggravated by disease or injury during service, including multiple parachute jumps and related general stress to the joints.