Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee patellofemoral syndrome and right knee tendinopathy were incurred during his deployment to Iraq in June 2008.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for back disability, right knee disability, and thyroid disability. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hemorrhoids and left clavicle fracture remain on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to his service-connected left ankle disability has been granted.,His hepatitis C disability is rated at 20% since December 11, 2012.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee chondromalacia disabilities have been granted a 50% evaluation effective October 30, 2012. The Veteran's chronic lumbar pain with myofascial muscle strain has also been granted an increased rating to 20%. These ratings are in line with the criteria set forth in VA regulations.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70% rating effective April 12, 2013. His low back disability was also increased to 70% from that date.

The Veteran does not have a right foot disability, right shoulder disability, or right knee disability that is the result of a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including scheduling a Board hearing at the RO.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been manifested by complaints of pain but without objective indications in the available record of functional loss equating to a compensable loss of motion. The claims for increased ratings are denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder and knee disabilities, as well as PTSD. The evidence now shows current diagnoses of these conditions and a link to an in-service stressor.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip disability, right knee disability, and left ankle disability. The claim for a bilateral foot disability was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability, diagnosed as patellofemoral pain syndrome, is related to his active military service.,Similarly, the Board finds that the Veteran's right shoulder disability, diagnosed as arthritis, is also related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed back, left knee, and right knee conditions are not related to his active service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease for these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current right or left knee disorder that is directly related to his military service. The VA examiner opined that it is less likely than not that either knee disorder was incurred in service.

The Veteran seeks an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected left knee disability. The Board has requested a new VA examination to determine the current severity of this condition.

The Veteran is found to be in need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected psychiatric and right knee disabilities, which prevent him from performing activities of daily living without assistance.

The Veteran's psoriatic arthritis with knee, hand and finger involvement was rated at 40 percent from July 13, 2006 to September 18, 2012.,The Veteran's disc bulge L3-4 and L4-5 with facet arthropathy was rated at 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee arthritis, status post cervical spine fracture with left radiculopathy, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to PTSD. The Veteran's in-service parachute jumps are considered the primary cause of these conditions.

The Veteran seeks service connection for degenerative arthritis in the left knee. The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and providing an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the claimed condition.

The Veteran's service-connected left femur, right ankle, right knee and right foot stress fractures have been rated as 10 percent disabling since May 24, 2007. The RO has now granted separate 10 percent ratings for the right knee, right ankle and right foot disorders effective April 29, 2013.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected exposure to hazardous substances during his military service, combined with his smoking habit, contributed substantially or materially to his death from lung cancer.