Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, and his left knee instability warrants a separate 20 percent evaluation. The Veteran's PTSD does not meet the criteria for a higher than 70 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for cardiovascular disease and denied service connection for right knee disability. The Veteran's cardiovascular disease is related to his military service, while the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for his right knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed. The VA examinations provided opinions against the claims.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an orthopedic VA examination and to attempt to locate the Veteran's outstanding treatment records. The claim will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, DEA under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. Chapter 35, and service-connected burial benefits due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or contributed substantially to his death.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right knee osteoarthritis, right foot degenerative arthritis, and right hip strain were denied.

The Veteran's left knee disabilities have been evaluated based on their current manifestations and do not warrant an increased rating.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for left knee instability status post reconstructive surgery and a 10 percent rating for left knee limitation of motion status post reconstructive surgery.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD) are not service-connected.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected gunshot wound to the right lower leg and knee, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current disability level.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, right hip degenerative joint disease (DJD), and right knee degenerative joint disease (DJD).

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the service-connected status-post left knee meniscectomy and an initial 10 percent rating for degenerative joint disease of the left knee. The appellant's TDIU claim is addressed in the remand portion.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for all issues related to his service-connected disabilities. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or earlier effective dates.

The Board found that the appellant's diagnosed conditions (moderate bilateral pes planus, exostosis of the right foot, osteoarthritis of the right knee, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine) are not related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee and shin conditions as well as left hip condition are being reviewed.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims for service connection for arthritis of the hands, arms, legs, and shoulders, water blisters on the hands and feet, loose teeth and calcium knots on the inside of the jaw, injury to the chest, injury to the face with steering wheel fragments, and status post fusion of the cervical spine at C5-6 with osteoarthritis to the left arm. The claims for service connection for COPD/emphysema and knee injuries are reopened.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability required a period of convalescence through December 7, 2008.,There is no evidence of a current right leg disability that is related to active service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right and left knee disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic left knee disability and is remanding it for further evidentiary development.