Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right knee degenerative joint disease are related to his military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disorder, left foot disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and acquired psychiatric disorder are not related to service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claimed low back, bilateral hip, left knee, and left ankle disorders are not service-connected. The evidence does not establish a direct relationship to service or any presumptive conditions.

The Veteran's left knee disability and instability have been evaluated at 10 percent each, with no higher ratings granted due to the current range of motion findings.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA medical opinion to clarify whether the Veteran's preexisting right knee condition was aggravated by his active service and if there is clear and unmistakable evidence that the increase in symptoms during service was due to the natural progress of the disease.

The Board has decided in favor of the Veteran, granting service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Veteran's chondromalacia of the right knee prior to September 28, 2009 was manifested by moderate instability and slight limitation of motion. The arthritis of the right knee prior to September 28, 2009 was also mild.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of PTSD, hypothyroidism, and knee replacements were all denied by the Board.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or restoration of a rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are currently considered direct service connection cases.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at 10 percent since August 12, 1994.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further medical examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current knee disabilities and right shoulder disability are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. The Board finds that without a current diagnosis, the criteria for entitlement to service connection have not been met.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine DDD and right knee DJD, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active service. Service connection was denied for left knee DJD as secondary to the right knee DJD.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and a separate 20 percent rating for moderate medial-lateral instability has been granted. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating remains denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee degenerative joint disease and residuals of a left varicocelectomy, finding that the evidence did not support higher evaluations based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and reschedule a VA examination.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the appellant's claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, and a disorder of either ankle. The claim is granted.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a right knee disorder, post-operative, is being remanded due to the need to obtain his alleged in-service treatment records from Balboa Navy Hospital. The RO has not exhausted all reasonable efforts to locate these records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and verify service character status. The VA will provide a new examination to determine the likelihood of in-service onset or association with his claimed conditions.