Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's right ankle disorder is not shown to be related to service, and the Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.,VA examination revealed no current right or left knee disability. The Veteran reported pain in service but there was no medical record documentation until 2011.

The Veteran's right total knee replacement is currently rated at 30 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with major depressive disorder. The claims for knee and hip conditions are remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of entitlement to a 10 percent evaluation based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities as moot due to the grant of compensable evaluations for the Veteran's knee disabilities and scars.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a left knee disability. With reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran, the criteria for entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability are met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and the retrieval of outstanding medical records. The issues include increased evaluations for his lumbar spine and right knee disabilities, as well as service connection for a left knee disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability was reopened and granted effective January 29, 2010.,Effective January 29, 2010, the Veteran is awarded a 10 percent rating for osteoarthritis with chondromalacia patella of both knees.

The Board is remanding the case to reschedule a video conference hearing for the Veteran regarding his claim of reopening service connection for a right knee condition.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar and cervical spines, arthralgia of the right knee, peripheral artery disease, and hypertension have all been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, left hip disability, and left foot disability, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board found that the criteria for a TDIU were met.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and right knee disabilities were granted with effective dates of August 11, 2006. The claim for TDIU was not addressed in the decision.

The Board found no current left knee disability and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran is found to be in need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, specifically his bilateral knee conditions. The Board grants special monthly compensation based on this finding.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability did not have its clinical onset in service and is not otherwise related to active duty or service-connected laceration scar, right lower leg. Therefore, service connection for a left knee disability was denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including osteochondritis dissecans and patellar dislocation, has been rated at 10 percent since May 1, 2009. The rating is based on limitation of motion (flexion to 110 degrees) and instability (mild subluxation).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of bilateral knees did not manifest during service or for many years thereafter, and is otherwise unrelated to service. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's preexisting left knee disorder clearly and unmistakably existed prior to his active military service, and was not aggravated by service. Therefore, service connection for a left knee disorder is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing loss and degenerative joint disease of the knees are related to his military service, with the exception that the hearing loss is considered a type of disability presumed due to noise exposure. The knee disability is not considered presumptively related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable or in need of aid and attendance, thus his claims for TDIU and SMC based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records, schedule VA examinations, and determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.