Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's left shoulder, right knee, and bilateral hand numbness disabilities have not been shown to be related to service. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, with a separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability being awarded. The issue of an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left knee patellofemoral syndrome with DJD is dismissed.

The Board found no evidence of a left knee injury or related event in service and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for his claimed left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence, and will reconsider them after obtaining additional STRs.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise on the question of nexus between the Veteran's left knee disability and service, including documented injury in-service and current symptoms. Service connection for a left knee disability is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain VA and private treatment records, service personnel records, and examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the appellant's claims for service connection. This includes obtaining relevant private treatment records, verifying her duty status during alleged in-service events, and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including post right knee arthroplasty and degenerative disc disease at L4, L5, and S1, render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and conducting new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including limitation of extension and flexion due to degenerative joint disease, was granted a 30 percent evaluation effective January 8, 2013. The issues regarding the meniscectomy and retinacular release were not addressed as they are considered part of the service-connected degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including his partial meniscectomy and replacement surgery, warrants a 30 percent rating as of February 1, 2014.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back and left knee disabilities, as well as service connection for a right knee disorder. The claim to reopen a right knee disorder was also denied. The decision did not address the TDIU claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher schedular ratings for her right knee disability, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and degenerative disc disease and facet arthropathy of the lumbar spine. The Veteran's hypertension was not service-connected.

The case is being remanded for further development to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities and whether they are related to service.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant through his authorized representative before a decision was made.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right knee disability, including osteoarthritis and chondromalacia patella, manifested during his military service and is etiologically related to his service. The sinus disability, including allergic rhinitis with superimposed acute sinusitis, also manifested during his military service and is causally related to his service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right knee with limitation of flexion and extension were evaluated as 10 and 20 percent disabling, respectively, prior to January 17, 2012. The claims for increased ratings are denied.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the initial increased ratings for DJD of the right knee and left knee, citing his desire to withdraw from further consideration.