Knee Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and updated treatment records. The Veteran will be provided with VCAA notice regarding secondary service connection. A VA examination is needed to determine the current nature and etiology of his right knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate examinations and treatment records, requiring further evaluation of his bilateral knee disorders.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing. The Board will schedule such a hearing and notify the Veteran of its date, time, and location.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral shoulder, hip, knee, ankle, and tendonitis disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during active service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims due to incomplete development and requests an addendum opinion from a VA physician regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral knee and/or lumbar spine disabilities are related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal to the RO for additional action, including obtaining VA and private clinical documentation pertaining to his left knee disability. The Veteran will be scheduled for a VA joint examination.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was rated at 10 percent prior to May 28, 2009 and at 20 percent from that date. The right knee strain with degenerative changes has been rated at 10 percent since the initial award of service connection in June 2005. The Veteran's right hand fracture was not assigned a compensable rating.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling prior to May 28, 2009 and 40 percent from that date.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection has been denied as the claims are not supported by sufficient evidence. The Board found that the Veteran failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause, which is a legal determination.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, which is considered a direct service connection as there was no presumption or secondary condition involved.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a current diagnosis of migraine headaches. The Veteran's claims for arthritis in the joints other than the lumbar spine and left knee have also been denied.

The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the left knee is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and a left knee disability, finding that there is clear and unmistakable evidence that her asthma preexisted service and was not aggravated by service. The decision summary explains the reasoning behind this conclusion.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is at least 70 percent, with one disability rated as 40 percent disabling. The schedular percentage requirements for TDIU are met.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for instability of the right knee is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right knee disability, and for any additional medical records to be obtained.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including arthritis and instability, was evaluated at a 30 percent rating prior to November 30, 2009. The appeal is denied as the claim for an increased rating has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for withdrawal of the issues involving right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for recurrent dislocation of the left knee, acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and sciatica is granted due to aggravation by service. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and sciatica are remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee degenerative joint disease status post patellar tendon repair is not related to his active service and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected right and left knee patellofemoral syndromes do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent, as there is no evidence of limitation of motion or arthritis that would support higher ratings.