Knee Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's left foot disability, specifically post-surgical residuals of left foot calcaneus fracture with short extensor muscle tear, metatarsal dislocation and traumatic arthritis, was not incurred in or aggravated by service, or by a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and any existing treatment records from Bentwaters Air Base. The appellant is also scheduled for a VA examination to determine if he has the claimed disabilities and whether they are related to service.

The Veteran does not have a current knee disability related to service. The Board finds that the evidence does not establish a current right knee disability and concludes that there is no direct service connection for either knee.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hip disabilities but denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and right and left hip disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left hip disorder and an increased evaluation for instability of the left knee due to lack of evidence showing a chronic disability in service or at any time thereafter, as well as his failure to report for multiple VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone preclude substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience, and the Board grants TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and to ensure compliance with prior directives, including notification of a scheduled examination.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting psoriatic arthritis did not worsen during service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease, post-uni-compartmental knee arthroplasty, is rated at 30 percent disabling.

The Veteran claims service connection for DJD of the right knee with a total arthroplasty, which he asserts was caused by an in-service falling accident. The Board finds that additional development is necessary to obtain VA treatment records from 10 years after his reported injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hip and knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for further examination and medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for increased rating in excess of 10 percent for a left knee disability has been denied as the evidence does not show that his flexion or extension is limited to 30 degrees or more, which would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5260 or 5261. The Board also found no subluxation or moderate lateral instability of the left knee, precluding a separate compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 5257.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not service-connected, with no current evidence of chronic left knee disability, cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, or bilateral hearing loss. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional medical examination and development of her claims, including a TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability, characterized by pain, tenderness, crepitus, and limited motion, does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluation for left knee disability, service connection for right knee disability, bacterial vaginosis, and uterine fibroids. The Board found no evidence of a right knee injury or chronic condition in service, and concluded that any current right knee disability is not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records from various VA facilities and off-site searches at Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions, including a psychiatric disorder, joint pain, chronic diarrhea, headaches, pseudotumor cerebri, and low back disorder, all of which are found to be related to the Veteran's active duty in the Southwest Asia theater during the Persian Gulf War.