Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain inpatient treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's left knee and left ankle injuries. The case will be returned for further action.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis, status post arthroplasty, was incurred in service and is granted service connection. The right knee osteoarthritis is not shown to be related to service.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the claim, including obtaining service treatment records from 1982 and any pertinent medical evaluation board concerning the appellant's right knee from 1992. The case will be remanded for these actions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated by her active military service. The right and left knee disorders are secondary to the bilateral pes planus.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further action, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability, a left knee disability, and a right knee disability. Service connection was also granted for pes planus (flat feet). An initial evaluation of 10 percent is assigned effective January 10, 2007.,The Veteran's pes planus is found to be aggravated by his service-connected plantar fasciitis.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, major depressive disorder secondary to PTSD, and adjustment disorder secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 10 percent since August 25, 2009. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted as there was no evidence of instability or subluxation and the limitation of extension did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, while disabling, do not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the issues of increased ratings for right knee limitation of extension and flexion, effective prior to March 21, 2012, and as of that date. The claim is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for her service-connected left knee disability was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder as secondary to the service-connected left knee disability, which were not addressed due to their interrelation with the TDIU claim.

The Board found that the additional evidence presented since the December 1997 rating decision is not new and material, as it does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim of service connection for residuals of a left knee injury. The claim was therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his inability to attend the scheduled hearing. His claims for service connection remain pending.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee patellofemoral syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not caused by his military service. The appeal is now resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a videoconference hearing at the RO due to his withdrawal of previous requests for a Travel Board hearing and request for a videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury and increased rating for left knee disability are also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of the left hip disability was granted, with a final effective date of July 25, 2011. The Veteran's service-connected right knee disorder is considered to be secondary to her left hip disability.

The Veteran's left knee instability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that a higher evaluation of 30 percent is warranted based on objective evidence of degenerative joint disease and subjective complaints of instability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee and right knee disorders are as likely as not related to an injury during his National Guard service in July 1965, granting service connection for these conditions.