Knee Board decisions

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a neurological disability of the right knee that he believes is secondary to his service-connected arthritis. The Board has determined that an additional examination and opinion are needed to address these claims.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current low back disability, including lumbar strain and arthritis, was incurred in service. The left knee disability is due to aggravation of a pre-existing injury during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine intervertebral disc syndrome of the right deep peroneal nerve with degenerative joint disease and residuals of right knee sprain with chondromalacia were denied as there is no evidence of a service connection issue, only rating disputes.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been granted service connection with initial ratings of 10 percent each, effective December 18, 2001. The claim for an earlier effective date is also granted.

The Board has remanded the case to the Philadelphia RO for scheduling a Travel Board or videoconference hearing regarding the Veteran's right knee increased rating claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the claims due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and providing new opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current low back disability, neck disability, hand/finger disabilities, knee disabilities, foot disabilities, and hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is not service-connected and his left knee disability does not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his service-connected right knee disability does not warrant a higher rating, and he failed to establish new and material evidence for the other claims.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left knee, status-post arthroscopy is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board finds that this rating is appropriate as it reflects limitation of flexion to 30 degrees and compensates for painful motion due to his condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a new VA examination to determine if any left knee disability had its onset during service, whether arthritis manifested within one year of separation from service, and if there was a worsening of any pre-existing condition during service.

The Board has granted service connection for IBS, but denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity and generalized arthralgia involving ankles, shoulders, knees and hips. The right inguinal hernia claim is also addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches have been rated at 50 percent since August 17, 2011. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise with respect to whether the Veteran has experienced very frequent and prolonged migraine headaches that have been completely prostrating and likely productive of severe economic inadaptability throughout the entire appellate period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are not of such severity to preclude substantially gainful employment prior to August 6, 2010.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical records and to provide the Veteran with an updated VA examination of his left knee. The appeal will be returned for further adjudication.

The Veteran's low backache and right knee disability have been granted service connection.,The claim for residuals of right ankle injury (claimed as right foot condition) is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and an initial compensable rating for his nephropathy disorder, finding no current diagnosis of either condition and insufficient evidence to establish in-service injury or disease.