Knee Board decisions

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a left knee disability that he believes is related to his service-connected right ankle disability. The Board has ordered additional development due to the inadequacy of the previous VA opinion regarding secondary service connection and aggravation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a right knee disability due to negligent surgical treatment in September 2008, finding that VA does not have direct jurisdiction over the private physician and facility involved.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and hypoglycemia have been denied as there is no evidence of these conditions. The residuals of right knee injury claim remains pending due to the need for further examination. The onychomycosis claim also remains pending as it requires a determination regarding the nature and etiology of the condition. The fibromas or tumors claim remains pending.

The Board finds the Veteran's prostate cancer was not incurred in service and denied his claims for back, left foot, bilateral knee, and GERD disabilities.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeals on the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for stress reactions, right ankle, left knee, feet, hips, pubis symphysis and right superior calcaneus; a rating in excess of 10 percent for stress fracture, right anterolateral femoral condyle, with stress reaction of the knee; and a compensable rating for stress fracture, left talus.

The Veteran's right knee disorder is related to his military service, and the Board has ordered additional development including a VA examination.

The Veteran's appendectomy scar is rated at 10 percent, and his right knee disability with arthritis is rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his disabilities.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is rated at 20 percent, effective July 28, 2009. The Board finds that a higher rating for his service-connected radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is warranted.

The Board found that the reduction in compensation from 20 percent to 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability was not proper, as there was no evidence of improvement in his condition.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee chondromalacia patellae and tendonitis, finding that the Veteran's current knee disabilities are related to his military service.,The claim of service connection for hypertension is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's left knee subluxation and arthrosis have been granted with a combined rating of 10 percent.

The Board found that the reduction of the evaluation for residuals of a left knee sprain, with injury to lateral collateral ligament and lateral meniscus from 20% to 10%, effective November 1, 2012, was proper.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee and right foot disabilities, as there was no medical nexus between his current conditions and his active duty. The long period without any complaints or diagnoses post-service also weighed against these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability is aggravated by his service-connected left foot disability.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, and chronic headache disability as not related to service or service-connected conditions.,There is no evidence of current disabilities that are directly related to service.

The Veteran's right knee disorder has been productive of symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage and flexion limited to 120 degrees without objective evidence of pain upon motion or additional functional loss. The claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, secondary to the service-connected right knee disorder, is reopened.

The Board granted higher initial ratings for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, with a specific rating of 30 percent for the right knee disability since April 11, 2011. The effective date for these ratings is set at April 11, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a scheduling issue for a videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection and rating for knee disabilities are pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to an inadequate April 2013 VA examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the hips and knees are pending.