Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with the duty to assist, specifically regarding an additional VA examination for the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral knee strain condition and its relation to service.

The Board dismissed the service connection claim for memory loss as it has been granted by the RO.,Increased ratings were denied for both right and left knee disabilities due to noncompensable limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for intervertebral disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied. The Board found that his lumbar spine did not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to limitations in range of motion and lack of ankylosis.

The Veteran's chronic diarrhea is due to an undiagnosed illness presumptively related to his service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations. The claims for GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, hiatal hernia, and left knee disability are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for right and left knee disabilities have been reopened, but the appeals are still pending as further evidence is needed to determine if service connection can be established.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis and instability have been rated at 10 percent since August 26, 2011. The appeal is denied as the criteria for a higher rating are not met.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral knee condition, an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than service-connected schizophrenia), a respiratory condition, a skin disorder, and high blood pressure. The case is being remanded to allow for these examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his prostate cancer and other conditions. The issues include service connection for various disabilities, including prostate cancer, hypertrophy of the breast, high blood pressure, residuals from paralysis of the fourth cranial nerve, HIV, heart disability, sleep disorder, arthritis, and bone and cartilage disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for his right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and thus failing to meet the requirements for service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including determining whether a rating more than 10 percent is warranted for left knee instability and chondromalacia. The Veteran's current 10 percent rating for left knee chondromalacia remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for right knee, left knee disabilities, and residuals of a right femur fracture due to new evidence indicating that the Veteran's service-connected conditions have worsened.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, left wrist disability, and left knee disability. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee tricompartmental osteoarthritis with complete medial meniscal posterior horn and body degeneration are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right knee disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent. The issue of service connection for hypertension is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of left knee strain was granted effective November 14, 2004, the day following his separation from active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disability but has remanded the issue of secondary service connection for his right knee disability due to inadequate reasoning and lack of consideration of continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected and aggravated by his diabetic nephropathy. The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 70% for PTSD has been withdrawn. Issues related to a left thigh skin disability, PFB, bilateral hearing loss, CAD, right knee strain with instability, cortical cataracts, SMC based on loss of use, and TDIU prior to March 9, 2006 are all remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions regarding his right shoulder bursitis, left knee disability, and service connection.,For the residuals of fractures to right third, fourth and fifth toes, the Veteran's condition has been rated as moderate.

The Veteran seeks higher ratings for his left knee and right knee disabilities, but the current assigned ratings do not adequately reflect the severity of his symptomatology during flare-up episodes.,A new VA examination is needed to evaluate the severity of the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities in accordance with the new applicable rating criteria.