Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records and VA treatment records. A VA examination will also be scheduled to assess the impact of his service-connected conditions on his ability to work.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left knee replacement disorder has chronically aggravated his low back condition, and thus grants service connection for a low back condition as secondary to the left knee replacement.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including gastrointestinal and lower leg disorders, were granted with an initial noncompensable rating. The Veteran's headaches claim resulted in a higher initial compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of low back, left knee, sleep apnea, or heart disabilities and therefore cannot establish service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board found that a chronic right knee disability was not manifested in service or within one year post-service, and the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that his current right knee disability is related to his service.

The Veteran's traumatic arthritis of the right knee, status post arthroscopic chondroplasty is rated at 30 percent disabling. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals have resulted in a 60 percent disability rating from August 2009 to September 2010, based on the predominant residual being voiding dysfunction. The right total knee replacement has been rated at 30 percent since its initial grant.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain outstanding VA and private medical records, as well as for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his hypertension and hemorrhoids.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for post-traumatic arthritis of the left knee status post meniscectomy was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than June 8, 2009, for the grant of service connection for left knee instability and a 30 percent rating was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right leg disability, left knee disability, bilateral cataracts, and lung disability are all granted. The Veteran's current left knee disability is found to be related to his military service, as are his bilateral cataracts. Service connection for the lung disability is also granted due to in-service exposure to environmental hazards.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected right wrist, right knee and left knee disabilities are already rated at their maximum allowable under VA regulations. Therefore, no higher ratings can be granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a VA examination. The issues are related to his service-connected right knee disability, including seeking an increased rating and reopening of a claim for a left knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee instability, right knee degenerative joint disease, and right hip degenerative joint disease. The claim to reopen a service connection claim for lumbosacral spine disability was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disability has been reopened and granted. The Board finds that the evidence is sufficient to establish a link between the Veteran's Reiter's Syndrome and his knees, which are presumed to be related to service due to its chronic nature.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 30 percent since December 31, 2007. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to lack of additional limitation of motion or other factors.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected right knee disability, and grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent for limitation of flexion. The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for instability and another 10 percent rating for mild incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve, resulting in a total of 30 percent for these conditions combined.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right and left knee disorders, bilateral leg disorder, bilateral eye disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea (excessive tiredness), have been denied as the evidence does not support a causal relationship to service or any qualifying chronic disability under Persian Gulf War criteria.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence linking the current osteoarthritis of the right knee to service, including any in-service injuries. The Veteran's current disability is considered unrelated to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of onset during active service or a relationship to service.