Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination. The issues of entitlement to higher initial evaluations for left knee degenerative joint disease with limited flexion and left knee laxity are before the Board.

The Veteran's claims for osteochondroma right femur, pulmonary tuberculosis, obstruction of teeth, and chronic colon/irritable bowel problems have been granted. The claims were reopened based on new evidence but the merits of these claims are not addressed as no new facts were provided.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, arthritis of hands and knees, and low back disorder. The evidence did not establish direct service connection as there was no in-service diagnosis or continuity of symptoms after discharge.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of his left knee disorders were denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim, and the current conditions are not related to his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board found that there was no evidence of diabetes mellitus or ischemic heart disease in service, and the Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to exposure to herbicides. The right knee arthritis is considered secondary to a service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability is not productive of limitation of flexion to 30 degrees or extension to 15 degrees, and no other compensable manifestations have been demonstrated. As such, the criteria for a higher rating are not met.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral leg disability and back disability were not incurred or aggravated by active service, nor are they related to her service-connected pes planus.

The Board denied increased ratings for patellafemoral syndrome of the right and left knees, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability. The Veteran's disabilities were rated as 10 percent each under Diagnostic Code 5260.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee Osgood-Schlatter disease preexisted service and was not aggravated by service. The current arthritis of the right knee is not related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected post-operative right tibial and fibular fracture residuals and right knee patellar tendonitis have been evaluated as a single disability, with the most recent evaluation of 10 percent granted in December 2004. The Board finds that an increased rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold combined rating of 70 percent or more necessary to be considered for TDIU on a schedular basis. However, due to his current employment status and the conclusions of the September 2013 VA examination, the case is being remanded for referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a new VA examination and opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability. The examiner must address the Veteran's lay contentions regarding an in-service knee injury and any positive medical evidence supporting such.

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability rating for his right knee injury from 30 percent to 30 percent, effective August 1, 2009.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral knee and cervical spine disorders, finding that the conditions are not causally or etiologically related to service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to the appellant's failure to provide necessary identifying information and releases for critical evidence.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability has been rated at 30 percent since March 1999. The Board found that the current rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition, with pain on use and occasional muscle spasms, moderate to severe limitation of motion without ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.

The Board denied service connection for chondromalacia of the left and right knees, as well as double vision. The Veteran's conditions are not considered to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination and requests for additional medical evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for defective vision and bilateral hearing loss, as well as his claims for left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, lumbar spine disorder, left knee disorder, left arm disorder, and right arm disorder. The evidence received was not sufficient to reopen any of these previously denied claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and granted it, finding that his current lumbar spine disorder is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected chondromalacia patella of the left knee and the service-connected post traumatic arthritis of the left ankle.