Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right knee strain is denied as the symptoms are attributable to his service-connected Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, not his service-connected right knee strain.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic left knee disability during service and insufficient continuity of symptoms since separation. The Veteran's current left knee disability is not presumed to have been incurred in service due to the lack of a diagnosis within one year post-service. Therefore, service connection for the left knee disability was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent for postoperative residuals of right knee anterior cruciate ligament tear during the relevant periods.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis of the shoulders, knees, elbows, hands, feet, and neck was not incurred or aggravated during his period of active military service. The claim is therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee and right ankle disorders did not manifest during service, are not related to service, and have no connection with a service-connected disability. As such, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the issues of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 60 percent for prostate cancer status post radical prostatectomy due to herbicide exposure, entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee degenerative changes, and entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle strain.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the service connection claims related to low back, bilateral hip, bilateral knee, bilateral ankle, and right foot disabilities. As a result, the Board does not have jurisdiction to further consider these issues.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and referring the claim to the Compensation Service Director for extraschedular consideration. The Veteran's TDIU claim is pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder, left knee, and right knee disabilities are related to service. As a result, the claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral arterial disease of the upper and lower extremities, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and right knee gunshot wound scar as they are not shown to be related to service or service-connected conditions.,Service connection was also denied for a right knee scar due to lack of evidence showing its presence in service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various joint disorders, including arthritis of the shoulders, wrists, hands, knees, and ankles. The Board has determined that further investigation into his pre-existing conditions during military service is necessary.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for his service-connected left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for another VA examination.

The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for instability of the right and left knees, effective December 9, 2011. The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are currently rated as 10 percent disabling each.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to be incurred in active service, resulting in a grant of service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for residuals of a nasal septoplasty and granted service connection for arthritis of both knees, as well as weight gain. The acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and PTSD) is not considered in this decision.

The case is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's left knee, right knee, and foot disabilities. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also inextricably intertwined with the pending left knee claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA and private treatment records. The AOJ will attempt to obtain these records and then readjudicate the claims.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various service connection claims, including hypertension and several musculoskeletal conditions. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for hypertension or establish service connection for other claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that there is not enough evidence to support the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral arthritis of the knees, and thus the appeal is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the claims of service connection for a left knee disability and an increased rating for his right knee disability.