Knee Board decisions

The Board finds that the Veteran's residuals of a left knee injury and his left knee arthritis do not meet or approximate the criteria for ratings in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied entitlement to an initial compensable rating for right tympanic membrane perforation with hearing loss and denied service connection for arthritis of the fingers, neck, ankles, and knees. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing a direct link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, ankle, foot, lumbar spine, and bilateral toes disorders are pending. The Veteran has been granted service connection for a scar of the right leg. His claims for service connection for tendinitis and/or gout of the left wrist and right wrist have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all issues except migraine headaches has been withdrawn. The Board grants service connection for migraine headaches.,The Veteran reported experiencing headaches since childhood, but her current diagnosis is of a chronic condition that began in service and resolved with pregnancy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his left and right knee disabilities, finding that they did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right shoulder, knee, and ankle disabilities are being remanded to allow for additional examination and development of the record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left knee strain. Additionally, he will be scheduled for another VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or maintaining gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a more recent VA examination of his bilateral knee conditions, as the current evidence does not adequately reflect their severity.

The Veteran's claim for a higher 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 Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral knee disability. The evidence provided does not establish a clear link between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Louisville, Kentucky RO for further development due to his claims involving exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. A VA examination is also required to determine if his left knee disability is related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine with L5 nerve root impingement and degenerative disc disease is service-connected.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a direct link between the Veteran's right knee chondromalacia and her military service.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses is denied as the treatment was not for a condition requiring immediate attention and VA facilities were available.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, and his service-connected left knee strain with meniscus tear is currently rated at 20 percent.,Neither condition meets the criteria for a higher rating under current VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA examinations and treatment records to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability, hypertension, and left knee disability were not incurred or aggravated by his active service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's left knee disability, characterized by limited range of motion and edema, does not warrant a rating in excess of the current 20 percent.

The Veteran's initial claims for higher evaluations were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of entitlement to any higher ratings.,Service connection was established, but no higher initial evaluations could be granted as the evidence did not meet the criteria for such.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.