Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee strain is related to an injury sustained during active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for the Veteran's left knee disability, effective July 15, 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the shoulders and patellofemoral syndrome of the knees, but denied service connection for fibromyalgia.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disorder, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease, was not incurred in or aggravated by military service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The preponderance of evidence fails to establish a chronic left knee disorder present during active military service and there is no competent and credible evidence relating it to an established event, injury, or disease during military service. Similarly, the right knee disorder was not incurred in or aggravated during active military service.

The Veteran sustained injuries to his left knee and ankle during service, but there is no evidence of a chronic disability that can be presumed to have been incurred in service. Service connection for these conditions is therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to lack of recent medical records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending and will be reconsidered after obtaining updated treatment records.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current low back, knee, and hip disabilities are not related to his in-service right ankle injury. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee and back disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability, and thus the claim is granted.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including painful motion and instability, warrants a separate 10 percent rating for lateral instability.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis is found to be secondary to his service-connected left knee replacement.

The Veteran's bilateral knee bursitis and ganglion cyst of the right knee are found to be related to her service-connected retropatellar pain syndrome. Her mood disorder is rated at 30 percent, effective September 4, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left knee injury is being remanded due to incomplete records and procedural issues.

The Veteran's low back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right and left knee disabilities have been granted increased ratings of 20 percent each.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a live videoconference hearing at the RO in Providence, Rhode Island. The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability and psychiatric disability are pending.

The Veteran's right great toe ingrown toenail is not related to service, and his left great toe ingrown toenails are not currently diagnosed. The Veteran's current left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examination of his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and finds that new evidence supports reopening of this claim. The Veteran's current bilateral knee disorders are not related to her service-connected back disability, but were likely caused by her active duty service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a gastrointestinal disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, neck disability, bilateral hand pain, bilateral shoulder disability, and bilateral hip disability is granted as these conditions are presumed to have been incurred due to an undiagnosed illness during his Gulf War service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his right knee disability is granted, and he is now rated at 30 percent. The issue of service connection for the left knee disability remains pending.