Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if any current right knee and/or foot disabilities are caused by or aggravated by service-connected left knee and back disabilities, and whether bilateral flat foot underwent worsening during active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and left knee disabilities have been reopened, and tinnitus has been granted.,Service connection is not established for the Veteran's low back or left knee disabilities as they are not related to active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total rating due to convalescence for left knee surgery is denied as service connection was not in effect at the time of the surgery and subsequent convalescence.

The Veteran's appeals for hypertension, right knee disability, and PTSD have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hip and knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for a secondary service connection examination. The examiner will determine if these disabilities are at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected shell fragment wound residuals.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication due to inextricably intertwined issues, including a claim of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) regarding service connection for migratory polyarthritis or Reiter's syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hip and knee disabilities are not service-connected as they do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability requires an annual clothing allowance due to the use of a prosthetic appliance that causes wear and tear on his clothing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address whether his bilateral knee degenerative joint disease was aggravated by his service-connected patellar instability.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine disorder, thoracic and lumbar spine disorders, and left knee osteoarthritis, status post left knee replacement. The Veteran's claims are now ready for further action.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions are being remanded due to the need to obtain private medical records from Dr. B.H. and worker's compensation records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities did not have their onset during active service, were not related to any disease or injury in service, and are not otherwise connected to service. As a result, the claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for chondromalacia/PFS of the left knee, but denied service connection for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the left knee. The Veteran's DJD was not incurred or aggravated in service and may not be presumed to have been incurred or aggravated in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease. The Veteran's other claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also addressed and submitted for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling since October 2006. The VA determined that the current level of disability does not warrant a higher rating based on instability or limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to failure to obtain all relevant treatment records, including from San Juan VA Medical Center. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, to include as secondary to a right knee disability, is now pending and will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's right knee disability is not considered service-connected as it did not manifest within one year of his separation from service and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's joint pain and fatigue are not service-connected. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to his in-service symptoms, and the medical evidence does not support a finding that any diagnosed conditions are related to his military service.