Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability is etiologically related to active duty service. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, remains pending.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for TDIU and his service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess his ability to work due to service-connected disabilities and obtaining relevant ongoing VA treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for right knee disability, gout, and hypertension. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his psychiatric and orthopedic disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for the psychiatric disability prior to June 24, 2002, or in excess of 70 percent as of June 24, 2002. For his left and right knee disabilities, the Board found that evidence did not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right wrist disability and for reopening his claim of service connection for a right knee disability as secondary to a service-connected left knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus has been rated at 50 percent since July 22, 2005. The VA examiner found that the Veteran had all of the impairment required for a 50 percent rating and significant effects on occupation due to weakness, fatigue, and pain.

The Board found no chronic residuals of a left knee injury or residual nerve damage during service and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence regarding his right ankle and knee disorders, including a lack of medical records from his incarceration period. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board is remanding the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's right knee and leg conditions are being evaluated again by VA medical professionals.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability as there is no current diagnosis of such condition and no evidence of one any time subsequent to her 2003 period of active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding that there was no credible evidence linking his current conditions to service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his undiagnosed illness manifested by joint pain in the hands, knees and left arm is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records, which were not previously obtained.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need to verify his reserve duty status in August or September 1995. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left knee disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no medical evidence or opinion linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as his headaches associated with the cervical spine disability, degenerative arthritis of both knees, are not rated higher than their current levels.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability and neck disability were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board finds that there is no evidence to support a finding of service connection for the Veteran's right knee disability, as it is not due to or aggravated by her service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his right knee disorder and further review of his TDIU claim.