Knee Board decisions

The Veteran does not have a right knee, left knee, or left ankle disability that was incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board finds no evidence of such disabilities during his active duty and the VA examination reports do not support a nexus between any current disabilities and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability is not related to his active duty service and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a link between the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability and his service, including any in-service crawling activity. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II and related conditions are presumptively service-connected due to herbicide exposure during his active military service in Thailand.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right knee scar, right knee postoperative residuals, and bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee lipoma, status post surgery, has resulted in primarily subjective complaints of pain and limited range of motion. The Board finds that the current noncompensable rating adequately reflects his disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, gastroenteritis with GERD, hemorrhoids, and left knee disability were denied. The Veteran is not entitled to a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss or a rating in excess of 20 percent for his cervical spine disability. He also does not meet the criteria for a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran timely filed a Notice of Disagreement (NOD) regarding the September 2004 denial of service connection for a right knee disability. As such, the appeal on this issue is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected low back disorder and right knee disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability and a bilateral knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service injuries.

The Board finds that the Veteran's currently diagnosed left knee strain with degenerative changes and right knee strain are related to his active service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disability rating is 100%, but he does not meet the criteria for a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to his inability to walk without assistance.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate examination findings and the need for further development of his right knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for left knee and right hip disabilities, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing conditions did not warrant service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication. The Veteran is required to provide information about his employment with Eaton Corporation and the U.S. Postal Service, including dates and relevant information.

The Board found that the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee disability, low back disability, hypertension, and acquired psychiatric disorder were not supported by evidence showing a direct relationship to his military service. The conditions did not meet criteria for presumptive service connection based on exposure to herbicides or other factors.

The Veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected as they are either diagnosed after service or not related to his military service.

The Board finds the evidence to be in relative equipoise, with the Veteran prevailing, and grants special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance of another person as a result of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's joint problems, including osteoarthritis of the right shoulder, bilateral knees, and bilateral hips, were not causally or etiologically related to his military service. The Board also could not establish a connection between these conditions and his service-connected meningitis.

The Veteran's left knee disability is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine its etiology and whether it is related to service. The issue of TDIU is also being addressed as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection issue.