Knee decisions — 2015

The Board found that the Veteran's right and left knee disorders were not incurred during service, as there was no in-service treatment or diagnosis. The VA examination did not find any link between current knee conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have a right knee disability incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for initial evaluations of his service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for his left knee disability was denied because no new and material evidence had been submitted within one year of a prior final denial in 2002, and he did not file another petition to reopen this claim until April 27, 2009.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were denied. The Board found that hypertension was established during active duty, but no current right ankle or back disability has been shown to be related to service. Right knee disorder is not supported by evidence of a current disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and verifying active duty periods. The appellant's claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, and right hip disability have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and service. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for direct service connection due to lack of in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for post-surgical residuals of a closed transverse fracture of the left femoral shaft and left knee degenerative joint disease are being remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the bilateral hips, knees, and wrists, and his left shoulder, as well as his disc disease of the cervical and lumbar spine with stenosis are attributable to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee, hip, ankle, and foot disabilities are secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities preclude obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and right knee disability have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected postoperative residuals of a left knee injury and fracture of a left middle finger, as there was no evidence showing that either condition warranted a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis, right knee and left knee do not meet or approximate the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left knee disorders are not related to service, including incidents of pain treated during service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease leading to arthritis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current ankle disability or bilateral knee disorder, and his scar residual of the right knee area is rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining additional evidence. The Veteran's claims for service connection will be reconsidered based on the new information.