Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral knee and ankle disabilities have been rated based on their current functional limitations, with no evidence of compensable limitation of motion. The Board has determined that the currently assigned ratings are appropriate.

The Board has decided to remand several claims for further development and evaluation due to procedural issues. The Veteran's appeals on substantive grounds are now pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disabilities have been remanded due to the need for further review of evidence from February 27, 2006, to January 3, 2012.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, finding that the preponderance of the evidence did not support higher ratings based on limited range of motion.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new opinion is needed regarding the etiology of any current right knee disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to withdraw his appeals for service connection of various disabilities, including skin condition, bilateral ankles, bilateral knees, neck, left ear hearing loss, low back pain, and psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and a personality disorder). The claims for head injury with residual headaches have been remanded.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, but the Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for genu recurvatum of the left knee. The preponderance of evidence does not support higher ratings for either knee.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding no evidence of a current disorder or functional impairment attributable to right knee pain since separation from service in November 2012.

The Board has remanded the claims for right ankle, left ankle, right knee, and left knee conditions due to a lack of VA treatment records. The Veteran's social security number was corrected but no attempts were made to obtain any missing VA records.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine as secondary to bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran's left and right knees with chondromalacia are each rated at 10%.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's right knee condition, including his ability to walk on it and the presence of flare-ups. The Veteran needs to provide updated medical records, and a new examination is required.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right knee disability was denied as the evidence did not show or approximate flexion limited to 15 degrees or extension limited to 20 degrees, even considering pain and limitation of motion. The highest schedular rating under DC 5258 is 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, specifically addressing whether they are related to service and if they are aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine and radiculopathy disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA examinations and addressing the severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of a left knee condition during active service and that any current left knee disability is not related to his service-connected right knee disability. The decision also noted that the passage of time between discharge from active service and the medical documentation of a claimed disability tends to weigh against a claim for service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and right hand disabilities. Additionally, the Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his patellofemoral pain syndrome of both knees have also been denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further evidentiary development, specifically regarding right knee motion loss in terms of degrees during periods of repetitive use or flare-ups from prior examination reports.

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

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and further development is needed.

The Veteran's clothing allowances for the benefit year 2014 are granted due to wear and tear caused by his Canadian crutches, which tend to damage his upper body clothing at an increased rate.