Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claimed low back, left knee, and bilateral hip disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during or within one year after service, and there is no medical evidence linking them to his period of active service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and potential need for further examination or medical opinions.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability is not related to his service, including his right knee disability. The evidence does not support a finding of secondary service connection either.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current right knee arthritis, diagnosed after service and with a history of hyperextension injury during active duty for training (ADT), is related to his military service. The claim for left knee disorder secondary to right knee disorder is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to the need for medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back and bilateral knee disabilities, as well as the nature of his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cervical spine and hand conditions, prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for Bell's palsy, hypertension, fibromyalgia, sleep apnea, hearing loss, bilateral knee arthritis, and gout were all denied as the conditions are not shown to have developed during active service or due to an established event, injury, or disease.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, status post total knee replacement. The appeal of education benefits was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's left knee ligament injury and posttraumatic arthritis were rated at the maximum allowable under Diagnostic Code 5257, with a 30 percent rating for severe instability.,For his right knee, the Veteran was granted a 20 percent rating for ligament injury prior to March 19, 2012, and a 30 percent rating thereafter.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities have been denied as there is no current evidence of a diagnosed disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for clarification of his right knee disability rating, scheduling of VA examinations to assess the severity of his lumbar spine and right knee disabilities, and readjudication of the issues on appeal.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased evaluations for degenerative arthritis of the right knee, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and residuals of left great toe injury; and a TDIU.

The Board has dismissed the appeal concerning the issue of entitlement to TDIU and denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased ratings and temporary total rating as the Veteran withdrew her appeal in May 2012. The claim for an earlier effective date prior to July 28, 2009 for the grant of service connection for status post hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy secondary to service-connected Crohn's disease is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck, bilateral hip, lower back and bilateral knee disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The evidence does not establish a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of right knee or right wrist, and his service connection claims for right hip osteoarthritis are denied. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is also denied as he does not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's left knee disability was initially rated as noncompensable prior to August 10, 2012. After that date, he is entitled to a separate rating of 20% for subluxation and lateral instability, but not higher ratings.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral knee disabilities was denied in August 2008. The Board found that the condition preexisted service and was not aggravated by service. New evidence received since then does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim, but it does raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim as it shows possible in-service incurrence and evidence of nexus. However, the Veteran did not have a current disability during the period on appeal. The cause of death was unrelated to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran had no pending claims for compensation or pension at the time of his death. He served during a period of peace, not war. Therefore, he is not eligible for nonservice-connected death pension benefits or burial benefits.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Fremont Area Medical Center on June 21, 2010, and June 22, 2010, are approved as the nearest VA facility was not feasibly available and a prudent layperson would have sought treatment from a private hospital.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and his right knee instability and patellar fracture are each rated at 10 percent.,Both conditions have been granted service connection based on direct service connection.