Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee, left knee (status post total knee arthroplasty and revisions), and low back disabilities on a direct basis. The claims are based on in-service injury and secondary to the right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, a left knee disability, and bilateral upper extremity neuropathy have been withdrawn.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims on appeal can be decided, including obtaining a missing medical opinion and scheduling VA examinations for the Veteran's low back disorder, knee disability, foot disability, and sciatica.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to ensure full compliance with the duty to assist and remands this case for further action.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a left knee disability and granted it. The Veteran's hearing loss is also found to be service-connected.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, bilateral knee disability, low sex drive, and left eye disorder were not incurred in service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis of the left knee is not related to his active military service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's internal derangement of the left knee with torn medial meniscus has been manifested by arthritis with painful motion and at times instability. The disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling for instability, but a separate 10 percent rating is granted for painful motion.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions have been granted. The disabilities are considered direct service connections.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability and ED are not related to service or his service-connected conditions.,Specifically, the VA examiner determined that the right knee disability was less likely caused by service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's case is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his left and right knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion from a VA examiner regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability. The case needs further development, including obtaining updated medical records from Miami and San Juan VAMCs.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, and therefore the criteria for a TDIU are not met.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee and left foot disabilities did not manifest within one year of separation from active service, are not otherwise etiologically related to his service, and were not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.,Service connection for the Veteran's right knee and left foot disabilities was denied as they do not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, to include as secondary to her service-connected right knee disability, was denied. The Board also found that she did not meet the criteria for TDIU prior to March 24, 2011.

The Board has ordered the case back to the AOJ for proper notification and development of the claim, as the Veteran did not receive a notice letter with his claim. The AOJ must ensure he is notified properly at his last known address.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, skin disability, fatigue, bilateral foot and elbow disabilities, right ankle disability, bilateral hand disability, and bilateral knee disability are denied. The effective date of service connection for PTSD is July 22, 2011.

The Board has granted service connection for urinary incontinence and obesity, finding that these conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability. The increased ratings for left knee strain and left ankle disability have been granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder, left knee disorder and psychiatric disorder (including PTSD).

The Veteran's right knee disability was evaluated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board found that this evaluation is not adequate to reflect his current level of impairment.