Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is denied as he does not have any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee DJD status post total knee arthroplasty with residual contracture is granted. The issue of entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for the same disability is dismissed as moot.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability and back disability. However, the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of neck, bilateral hip, or acquired psychiatric disabilities, and there is no competent medical evidence linking any of these conditions to his military service.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 20 percent for service-connected right hip strain, status-post arthroscopy with surgical scars. The Veteran's right knee disabilities are no longer in dispute due to his withdrawal of appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability is not related to his in-service injury and denied service connection for this condition. The skin disorder claim was not addressed due to lack of a statement of the case (SOC).

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a right knee disorder and granted it. The claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), and tuberculosis were also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The diagnoses of major depressive disorder and paranoid personality disorder are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or retaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, and low back disability are related to service. Service connection is granted for all three conditions.

The Veteran's right knee disability, manifested by pain and weakness with limited flexion to 130 degrees, does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's left knee disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability and noting that any left knee symptoms were not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a sinus disorder, back disability, and left knee disability due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current, chronic disabilities involving his right knee, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or fibromyalgia. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee and hip disabilities were denied as the evidence did not show that his conditions warranted a rating higher than 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is not causally related to active duty service or his service-connected lumbar spine disability, and it was not aggravated by his service-connected lumbar back disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a left knee disability is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected patellofemoral syndrome of both knees has been rated as noncompensable. After a thorough examination, the VA determined that the condition warrants an initial 10% rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability claim is withdrawn. For his lumbar spine and left knee disabilities, the criteria for higher ratings have not been met prior to September 4, 2013, or on and after that date.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals left foot disability resulted in a 20 percent rating effective June 16, 2011. The Board granted this initial rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU rating, effective November 11, 2007.

The Board has determined that there is no clear and unmistakable error in the January 2000 rating decision denying service connection for depression. The Veteran's claims for reopening of previously denied claims for right shoulder, right elbow, and left knee disabilities have been granted.