Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for multilevel degenerative disc disease and an extra-schedular evaluation of 60 percent for right knee traumatic synovitis with incoordination secondary to pain from February 17, 1998, to December 29, 2002. The decision is mixed as it grants service connection but denies the request for a higher schedular rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the claim of new and material evidence was reopened. The rating for chronic pain syndrome with disc bulging at L4-5 was not granted higher than 10 percent before October 28, 2006, but a 30 percent rating was granted from that date onwards. Other claims were denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the spine, osteoarthritis of the right knee, and osteoarthritis of the left knee are being remanded due to the need for additional development including a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar strain with DDD and DJD of the left knee, as well as service connection for hypertension. The TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right shoulder arthritis, left hand arthritis, bilateral wrist arthritis, bilateral knee arthritis and bilateral hip arthritis due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right total knee replacement did not meet the criteria for a schedular rating greater than 60 percent from July 1, 2007, through March 27, 2011.

The Board has ordered a remand for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's left knee disability, as it relates to his service. The examiner is instructed not to provide an opinion on aggravation of a pre-existing condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, Hepatitis C, and an increased rating for his service-connected pes planus. The appeal regarding the temporary total disability rating based on hospitalization in August 2005 was also denied.

The Board found no evidence of a left knee disability during service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran's statements regarding in-service injuries are not credible. The current left knee arthritis is not shown to be related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left knee injury is being remanded due to the need for further development, including an examination to determine if any current left knee disorder is etiologically-related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left knee disability and to determine if he has a current sleep disorder related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability, finding that there is no objective evidence of laxity or instability and that the Veteran's symptoms do not warrant a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions including bilateral foot disabilities, left and right hip/knee disabilities, rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, residuals of a nasal fracture (including deviated septum), sleep apnea, and chronic folliculitis. The Veteran's hearing loss is also service connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and left knee disability, finding no evidence of a current disability in either case.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder, but denied service connection for a left knee disorder.

The Board has determined that the November 2009 VA examination is not adequate for the issues of service connection for bilateral pes planus and right knee disability. The Veteran should be scheduled for a new VA examination to address these medical matters.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease with history of anterior cruciate ligament repair, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The Board concluded that there is no credible evidence to support a claim for service connection based on continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on housebound status or permanent need for regular aid and attendance has been remanded due to an inadequate examination. The case will be readjudicated after a new VA examination is conducted.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee strain is not related to her military service or her service-connected right knee and/or low back disabilities, thus denying her claim for service connection.