Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability did not manifest during service, is not causally or etiologically related to service, and is not caused by or aggravated by a service-connected disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a right knee disability is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and various knee, leg, hip, and buttocks disabilities. The Veteran was not granted any increased ratings for his right knee or left hip disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left ankle and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not show more than moderate limitation of motion in either joint.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of cold weather injuries, PTSD, bilateral knee disability, and heart disability have been denied.,Service connection was not granted for epididymitis as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board found no evidence of PTSD and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip and left knee conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's left calf muscle atrophy and weakness were incurred in service, but there is no evidence of a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes. The Board finds that the Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, related to his service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral knee chondromalacia. The claims for acid reflux and bilateral lower extremity nerve damage have also been denied.

The Veteran's claims for cervical spine and right knee disabilities were denied as there was no evidence of a service-connected disability. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability was also denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence that the claimed in-service stressor actually occurred.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD. The remaining issues on appeal are addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision below and are REMANDED to the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease with total right knee arthroplasty is established as service-connected due to a presumptive basis based on the chronicity of his condition during or within one year after his second period of active service.

The Veteran's appeal for a temporary total evaluation due to treatment of his service-connected right knee condition was withdrawn during the July 2013 Board hearing. The case is being remanded for further development including VA examinations and readjudication.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to missing records and the need for a VA examination to determine if his current knee disabilities are related to service, including any LOD injury during National Guard service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder due to new evidence received since the last denial. The issue is now on its merits, and will be decided based on the evidence of record.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee disorder as secondary to his service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease, finding that the current disability is proximately due to or the result of the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection for a heart disorder, to include as secondary to contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, and he was assigned a combined rating of 20 percent effective July 25, 2007. An additional attorney fee of $909.60 is awarded based on the 20 percent rating.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of an acquired psychiatric disorder in service or currently, and thus, the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied. For his knee disabilities, the Board finds that the June 2011 VA examination report provides sufficient information to determine that a higher evaluation than 10 percent is not warranted.