Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left and right knee disabilities are not related to his service, as there is no evidence of a chronic disability manifested in service or within one year post-service. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's bilateral knee osteoarthritis was consistent with age-related bony changes rather than being related to an injury sustained during service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is not related to her active service or any of her service-connected disabilities, and thus denied her claim for service connection.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for the Veteran's low back and left knee disabilities, concluding that they are not related to his military service or any service-connected conditions.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic disease in service or within one year following service, and the Veteran's lay testimony regarding his onset of psychiatric disorder was not credible. The Board also found that there is no probative evidence linking any current left knee condition or frostbite residuals to service.

The Veteran's claim for higher initial ratings for his service-connected right knee disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating greater than 30 percent from June 27, 2008 to September 19, 2008 and from December 28, 2010 to August 8, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension has been reopened and granted. Service connection is also granted for arthritis of the knees, but his skin disability remains pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected residuals of a left ankle fracture caused his bilateral knee and hip disabilities, thus granting these claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims of service connection for left and right knee disorders, as well as his acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right knee disorders are not related to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings for residuals of left knee surgery prior to January 14, 2015 and from January 14, 2015.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and his right knee disability is also rated as 10 percent disabling. Both disabilities are not entitled to higher ratings under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board found no evidence of a service-connected back injury and denied the claim for residuals of a back injury. For skin irritation and burning of hands, knees, and feet, the Board concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish service connection due to lack of continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disorders are not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a Statement of the Case (SOC) regarding whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen previously denied claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete attempts at obtaining private medical records and inadequate VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability did not have its onset during service or is otherwise related to his military service. The disability was determined to be caused by obesity and age, rather than any in-service injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability, diagnosed as patellar tendinitis, is related to his service as an armor crewman and finds in favor of granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability, effective from October 8, 2013. The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as noncompensable under the limitation of motion criteria.