Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's initial claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities were denied by the RO, as they are considered direct service connection cases without any presumption or new evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee patellofemoral degenerative arthritis as due to service-connected right knee disability. The Veteran's current left knee degenerative joint disease is found to be proximately due to, or the result of, his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected renal cell carcinoma is granted, and the Board finds that he meets the criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current right ear hearing loss for VA purposes and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeals for all issues.

The Veteran's left knee disability, post-surgical and with degenerative joint disease, is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board finds that the evidence supports a higher rating of 60 percent since June 2, 2011.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeals for all issues on appeal, including the rating for right knee strain, status post septoplasty, and service connection for transitional lumbosacral vertebra with bilateral pseudoarthrosis with degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine, L3-S1.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's left knee disability, characterized by pain and limited range of motion, does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral hand disability characterized by painful joints, as neurological signs and/or symptoms of an undiagnosed illness. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee chondromalacia are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of a lumbosacral spine disability and remanded it to the RO for further development. The Veteran's current low back pain is not considered to be caused by or aggravated by his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Board has reopened and granted service connection for right shoulder and bilateral knee disorders, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses of internal derangement of the right shoulder and degenerative joint disease of both knees are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is secondary to his service-connected low back disability and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is rated at 30 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The separate noncompensable rating for hammertoes remains in effect. Right and left knee tendonitis with chondromalacia and osteoarthritis are each rated at 10 percent.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for a left knee disability, finding that new and material evidence has been submitted. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to scheduling issues for a Travel Board hearing. The Veteran's claims of increased ratings and reopening service connection for low back disability are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his left ankle fracture residuals and right knee tendonitis.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee osteoarthritis with degenerative joint disease (DJD) is denied. The evidence does not support a higher rating as the Veteran's range of motion was limited by pain, weakened movement, and flares upon repetition.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as depression, was manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, disturbances of motivation and mood, difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships, and flattened affect. He received a 50% evaluation for this condition.,For the right knee disability, there was no more than some pain and limitation of flexion (without flexion limited to 30 degrees), extension (limited to 10 degrees), locking, recurrent subluxation, or lateral instability. The Veteran's current appeal is limited to the period prior to September 23, 2011.