Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of his right and left knees are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for further development and examination regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disorder is permanently aggravated by his service-connected thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder, left hip disorder, and right hip disorder are related to his service-connected left tibial tuberosity fracture and left knee instability. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The case will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's minimal small vessel periventricular ischemic white matter disease, chronic headache disorder, hypertension, tinnitus of the right ear, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral knee disorder, fungus of the feet, facial cyst, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and right arm disorder were not incurred in service or related to service.,The Veteran's periods of active service did not include a qualifying period for VA benefits.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including VA treatment records, SSA records, and private medical records. The Veteran will be provided a new VA examination for his right knee disorder.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling since January 26, 2005. The claim for an increased rating was granted, but the hearing loss claim remains at a non-compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current disabilities of the right leg or knee, and his left leg and knee conditions are already service-connected. Therefore, he is denied these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and knee conditions is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran has a current bilateral hearing loss disability and knee condition that are related to his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current right knee disability is not related to his service, and thus denies service connection for a right knee disability. The claim of service connection for a left shoulder disability remains pending as there was no determination on this issue in the decision.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for a left knee disability. The Veteran's private physician provided an opinion linking his left knee disability to his service-connected right knee disability, which is sufficient to meet the threshold of 'new' evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistent medical opinions and a need for additional development of the Veteran's claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from February 15, 2001 through December 31, 2001.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a left or right knee disorder as a result of disease or injury incurred in service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's current right knee arthritis is found to have resulted from his service-connected left knee disability, and the Board grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a mood disorder, lumbar strain with chronic mechanical low back pain, tinnitus, and chondromalacia patella of the right knee, have resulted in a combined disability rating of 80 percent. The Board has found that he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the 100 percent schedular evaluation assigned for the service-connected right knee osteoarthritis following right knee replacement effective February 1, 2010 was proper. The appeal is denied.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for a left leg disability due to insufficient evidence and the need for a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, Crohn's disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, and right knee disability. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a right knee disability.