Knee Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral knee and back disorders are not due to disease or injury incurred in service, nor can arthritis be presumed to have been incurred therein. The VA examiner opined that the disabilities were more likely related to the Veteran's weight and work-related injuries after service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of a right knee disorder and finds that new evidence supports a link between the Veteran's current condition and his military service, including an incident in Vietnam. As such, the claim is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability have been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee disorders, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions were aggravated by his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his anxiety with depression and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, have resulted in a combined disability rating of 100 percent. The Veteran is eligible for financial assistance to acquire an automobile or adaptive equipment due to the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The RO has proposed to sever service connection for the right knee, left knee (secondary), low back disability, and left hip strain. The Veteran's appeal of this proposal was denied in a November 2007 rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for an initial, compensable rating for left knee strain with left lateral nodule is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a more contemporaneous examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to missing service treatment records and unobtained Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The RO/AMC will also attempt to schedule a hearing for the Veteran at a VA facility closer to her home.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for hypertension was dismissed due to withdrawal. The reduction of the disability rating for his service-connected left knee disability from 50 percent to 20 percent was not proper, and the 50 percent disability evaluation is restored effective March 1, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the reopening of claims for left foot bunion deformity and right foot bunion deformity was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.,The Veteran's appeal regarding the reopening of a claim for left knee disorder was also dismissed as no new and material evidence had been received.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service records and VA treatment records, as well as obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The Veteran will also be provided with a Statement of the Case (SOC) regarding his increased rating claims.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on his left knee arthrofibrosis with instability, mechanical low back pain with ankylosing spondylitis, and post-traumatic arthritis have been withdrawn.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and development of records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a supplemental opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions, as well as an enlarged heart. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of any current left foot, left knee, and left hip disabilities. The case will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's left knee disability, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease, has been rated at 10 percent since the effective date of service connection. The evidence does not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or arthritis.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his left and right knee disabilities. The issue of entitlement to TDIU has also been raised by the record.

The Board granted an initial rating greater than 10 percent for a left knee disability and also granted an earlier effective date than December 1, 1994, for the grant of service connection for a left knee disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative joint disease, PTSD, and left great toe disability were denied. The Board found that the arthritis was not incurred in or aggravated by service, while the PTSD and left great toe disability met the criteria for a 50% rating before October 28, 2010.