Knee Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed skin disorders, musculoskeletal strain, numbness of the hands, facial congestion and breathing difficulties, sperm or semen abnormalities, right shoulder disorder, and right knee disorder are not etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a left knee disability is granted as the evidence shows that he had arthritis of his left knee during service and continues to have it now.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evidentiary development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right knee disorder.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is necessary to determine the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability, and to obtain any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal involves a claim for an increased rating for his right knee condition and service connection for sleep apnea. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the severity of his knee disability and whether his sleep apnea is related to his asthma.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial evaluation for degenerative arthritis of the left knee has been withdrawn. The only remaining issue is whether there was clear and unmistakable error in previous rating decisions regarding service connection, which will be considered along with the effective date claim.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disability. The claim will now be reviewed on its merits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative joint disease does not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating, as it is currently manifested by limitation of flexion to 135 degrees and x-ray evidence of degenerative changes. The current 10 percent evaluation adequately reflects the severity of this disability.

The Veteran's appeal of his service connection claims for left and right knee disabilities is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and readjudication of her claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher disability evaluations for diabetes mellitus, left knee arthritis, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher evaluation for his diabetes mellitus as it does not require regulation of activities.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, depressive disorder, right knee degenerative joint disease, and left shoulder disability. The RO has already granted service connection for these conditions but is seeking higher initial ratings.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the conditions did not meet the criteria for higher initial ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the right knee with degenerative joint disease and rheumatoid pulmonary nodules, finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disorder did not onset in service and was not caused by or related to service, including his service-connected right ankle disability. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and effective dates were denied as the earliest date of entitlement is March 3, 2004.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a videoconference hearing. The Veteran's claims for service connection and rating increases remain pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient detail in the examination report and the need for a new VA examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability was denied, and his claims for increased evaluations of left knee degenerative joint disease were also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an award of service connection or higher ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is related to his service-connected left tibia fracture and granted service connection for this condition. However, there is no evidence of a right knee disability or degenerative joint disease of the right knee, so the claim for this issue was denied.