Knee decisions — 2016

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and his right knee disability is also rated as 10 percent disabling. Both disabilities are not entitled to higher ratings under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board found no evidence of a service-connected back injury and denied the claim for residuals of a back injury. For skin irritation and burning of hands, knees, and feet, the Board concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish service connection due to lack of continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disorders are not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a Statement of the Case (SOC) regarding whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen previously denied claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete attempts at obtaining private medical records and inadequate VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability did not have its onset during service or is otherwise related to his military service. The disability was determined to be caused by obesity and age, rather than any in-service injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability, diagnosed as patellar tendinitis, is related to his service as an armor crewman and finds in favor of granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability, effective from October 8, 2013. The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as noncompensable under the limitation of motion criteria.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right knee did not meet or approximate criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and maintaining all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule VA examinations for his claimed acquired psychiatric disability, heart disability, and left knee disability. The Board will then review the case again based on the examination results.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to March 31, 2010, for the awards of service connection for left knee laxity and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted.,Effective October 4, 2004, the Veteran was awarded service connection for these conditions. Effective March 31, 2010, he received a 10 percent evaluation for each condition.

The Veteran's left knee patellofemoral arthritis is the result of an injury incurred during his Reserve service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The issue of entitlement to service connection for lupus remains pending.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and the bilateral sartorius insertion syndromes are each rated at 10 percent. The appeal for higher ratings remains pending.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, lumbar spine disorder, left knee disorder, right foot disorder, and left foot disorder have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD related to his in-service stressor and established a nexus between this stressor and his current symptoms.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 10 percent, and his stress fractures of the right 2nd and 4th toes are not compensable. The Board denied both claims as there was no evidence to support higher ratings based on current symptomatology.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left knee disability was denied as the evidence did not show that he met the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability. The current 10 percent rating is considered appropriate.

The Board has requested additional medical records and will remand the case for further development. The Veteran's current mailing address needs to be determined and both letters should be resent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee and right ankle disabilities are secondary to his service-connected left knee and right foot disabilities, respectively. The claims for service connection have been granted.