Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee arthritis as secondary to his service connected left ankle disability is granted. The appeal regarding a schedular rating in excess of 20 percent for the left ankle disability and TDIU is also addressed, with the case being remanded for further consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are found to be severe enough to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and the Board grants TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical examinations and records, as well as for further development of the claims. The primary issues are an increased rating for his back disability, service connection for a bilateral knee condition, and TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current right ankle or right knee disabilities related to his service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected residuals of an L3 and L5 transverse fracture, left knee injury, and left hip trochanteric bursitis were denied. The criteria for higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes were not met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to reassess the severity of his service-connected left knee disability, including range of motion and any instability or locking. The Veteran also requested an increased evaluation for his TKA.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right and left hip conditions, finding that there was no evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service. The decision is final as it was not appealed within one year.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, conducting a new VA examination, and considering extraschedular considerations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of degenerative joint disease of the left knee is related to his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a right knee disability and an increased rating for his left knee disability. The Board found no evidence that the right knee disability was incurred in or aggravated by service, including as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability of any of the claimed conditions, and there is no evidence linking these disabilities to service. The VA examinations and VHA specialist opinions do not support a finding that any of the disabilities are related to the 1969 motor vehicle accident.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection on the lumbar spine arthritis was withdrawn. The Board found that there is no evidence of a left knee disability in service or within one year after separation, and thus denied service connection for a left knee disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disorder is not related to service and denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, right knee disorder, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The gastrointestinal disorder claim is being remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities have been granted in a May 2012 rating decision. The appeals are dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's right knee disability is manifested by instability, pain, subjective giving way, weakness and stiffness, resulting in moderate lateral instability. The Board finds the criteria for an initial rating of 20 percent, but no higher, for service-connected right knee instability have been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee retropatellar pain syndrome was manifested by aching pain, stiffness, occasional locking, and episodic swelling; flexion to 85 degrees with pain; and extension to 0 degrees for the rating period from November 12, 2004 to December 13, 2007. For the rating period from December 13, 2007, the Veteran's right knee retropatellar pain syndrome was manifested by severe pain, stiffness, swelling, lack of endurance, weakness, locking and instability; flexion to 100 degrees with pain; and extension to 0 degrees. The Board has granted a rating of 10 percent for this period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability is not related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected lumbar strain, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is not related to his service and therefore denied his claim for service connection. The appeal of entitlement to Total Disability due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU) was withdrawn by the Veteran's representative.

The Veteran requested to withdraw the appeal for prostate cancer at his September 2012 hearing. The claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder requires additional development.