Knee Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral knee disability (Osgood-Schlatter disease) was not aggravated during service beyond its natural progression, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not related to his military service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's left knee disorder was not shown to be related to service, and his claim for TDIU was denied as he is not rendered unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right knee disorder or interstitial cystitis that is related to his active service, and any current disorders are not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a right hand disorder, right shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, and herniated pulpous at L4-L5, status post spinal fusion and laminectomy. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a bilateral above-the-knee amputation due to VA treatment in September and October 2006, but additional evidence is needed before a decision can be made.

The Board has granted service connection for chondrocalcinosis of the right knee, left knee, and spinal stenosis at L4-5 with nerve root compression at L4-5 and L5-S1. These conditions are considered to have had their clinical onset during active service.,No disability rating was assigned as there is no evidence of a current disability or any functional impairment due to these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's service connection claims for low back disability, psychiatric disability, right hip disability, and right knee disability due to his failure to respond to requests for identifying information and releases for pertinent medical records within a year. The extraschedular rating claim for residuals of a fractured left medial malleolus was denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent effective June 30, 2010. The initial ratings for polyneuropathy of the upper extremities and impairment of sphincter control are granted but not yet assigned effective dates. Erectile dysfunction remains noncompensable.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development of her right knee disability, including obtaining updated clinical records and a VA examination following her June 2009 arthroscopic surgery.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen several of her claims. The claim for an increased evaluation for residuals of left femur fracture was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as service connection for chronic shoulder and low back disabilities secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities were denied.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease is currently rated at 20 percent, effective as of the date of the decision. The claim for service connection for pes planus remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability. The remaining claims are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right knee disability, diagnosed as chondromalacia, is related to his military service. Additionally, the evidence supports a finding of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, particularly PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to service connection for various conditions secondary to herbicide exposure, including multiple myeloma. The appeal is now with the RO for further review.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and issuing a statement of the case on the issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims of entitlement to service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, and entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disability. The Veteran's hypertension claim is also remanded for another examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and right knee disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected right foot/ankle disability, granting service connection for both conditions on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 60 percent for his post-TKR left knee disability has been denied. The current 60 percent rating adequately reflects the severity and manifestations of his service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current right knee, left knee, or right hip disabilities and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.