Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a left knee disorder are being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining information about the program administered by Alpha Omega Veterans Services and providing etiological opinions regarding the onset of his left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus the claim for a TDIU is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder and right knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by active duty service, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within one year after discharge. The current disabilities are attributed to age-related changes.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of each knee. The claim of service connection for a low back disability and the TDIU claim are remanded due to additional development being required.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities were denied. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflected the severity of his disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and records, including SSA records. The issues of service connection for low back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and bilateral foot disorder are inextricably intertwined with the current appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability was not service-connected as due to an undiagnosed illness or any other basis. The claim for TDIU remains pending.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant, through his authorized representative, has withdrawn it.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining relevant medical records.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 30 percent, the minimum rating assigned following a knee replacement. The evidence does not support an increase in this rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current knee, low back, and hip disabilities are not related to service or any service-connected conditions. The claims for these disabilities have been denied.

The Veteran's abdominal tumor, pilonidal cyst, prostate disorder, and left knee disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by service.,There is no credible evidence of any such conditions during or within one year after service.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at 10 percent, but the evidence does not show marked limitation of motion or ankylosis.,The Veteran's left knee and right knee disabilities are both rated at 0 percent as there is no objective evidence of limitation of motion or functional impairment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an extension of his temporary total rating through August 25, 2009 is granted. The effective date starts from July 1, 2009 and ends at August 25, 2009.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and scheduling VA examinations. The Veteran's claims are not yet decided.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including recurrent left shoulder dislocation, right ankle fracture, osteoarthritis of the left knee and right knee, carpal tunnel syndrome of the left hand, and hearing loss, preclude him from obtaining and maintaining all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred on November 27, 2010 were denied because the treatment provided was not considered an emergency and VA facilities were reasonably available.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right knee disorders are related to his military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. The Veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and an initial compensable rating for left thumb osteoarthritis are pending.