Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, knee, skin, psychiatric, and left ankle disabilities were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service. The claim for peripheral neuropathy was not addressed due to the absence of a specific request.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and further development is needed before a decision can be made on the claim for service connection for residuals of a left knee injury with healed lacerations.

The Board denied service connection for multiple joint and leg disorders, including arthritis of the left hip, right knee, bilateral ankles, bilateral legs, and gouty arthritis of the feet. The decision concluded that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to her failure to appear for a scheduled hearing. She will be rescheduled for another Board hearing at the RO.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a right knee disability. The Veteran's reports of an in-service injury were considered, but no chronic right knee disability was established or presumed due to its absence during service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were withdrawn, and his left knee disorder was rated at 30 percent effective January 1, 2010. The rating includes limitation of extension to 30 degrees and instability from January 1, 2010.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including those related to his cervical and lumbar spine conditions. The appeals were based on direct evidence rather than a presumption or secondary service connection.

The Veteran's effective dates for the increased ratings of his right knee and ankle disabilities are set to June 23, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional evidence being added to the file since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The veteran is requested to respond to this new SSOC.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a right ankle disability and reopened claims for cervical, lumbar spine, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities due to conflicting evidence regarding their etiology. Further development is needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional action as directed by the Court's October 2011 Order granting the Parties' Joint Motion to Remand. The case is now pending further examination and development.

The Veteran's left knee TKA was granted a 60 percent rating effective June 1, 2010. The ratings for arthritis of the left and right hips remain at 10 percent each.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left knee or left hip disorders and that these conditions are not related to his military service. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disorder did not pre-exist service and was not aggravated by service. The condition is presumed to have existed prior to service, but it did not worsen during service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right and left knee disorders preexisted his service, and were not aggravated by service. Therefore, he is denied service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's combined disability rating was reduced to 60 percent effective December 1, 2008. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on his right knee disability and reduction of hypertension rating was withdrawn by the Veteran during a hearing before the Board. The claim is dismissed.

The Veteran died of respiratory failure due to or as a consequence of cardiac arrest with acute congestive heart failure. The service-connected residuals of cold weather trauma did not cause his death, nor did it render him materially less capable of resisting the effects of other disease or injury primarily causing death.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is necessary to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability and its associated post-surgical scar. The appeal will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has remanded the case for a Travel Board hearing due to the Veteran's request, and service connection is being reconsidered based on new evidence or circumstances.