Knee Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome and left sciatica were initially rated at 10 percent prior to June 18, 2009. From that date, the rating was increased to 20 percent.,The Veteran's sciatica of the left lower extremity has been rated at 10 percent since June 18, 2009.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder biceps tendonitis with impingement, and left knee patella femoral syndrome. The RO had previously granted service connection for these conditions but did not assign compensable ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right knee or right ankle disability that is attributable to his active military service and therefore denied both claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability, claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure, is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and further examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including reconstructing missing service treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a hip, ankle or right knee disorder related to his military service and it is not proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for low back strain, secondary to arthralgias of the bilateral hips, knees, and ankles is being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee injury did not occur during service and is not related to any incident during service. The arthritis of the right knee was also not manifest within a year of separation from active service, thus precluding presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for his right knee disability is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of medical records.

The Board found no evidence of a current left shoulder condition and denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed left shoulder disorder. For his right knee condition, the Board determined that it was not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service, and denied all claims for service connection.

The Veteran's gout of the bilateral knees, ankles, feet, and right elbow is manifested by incapacitating exacerbations occurring 3 or more times a year. The RO has granted an initial disability rating of 20 percent for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA and private treatment records, as well as a supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee post-operative medial meniscal tear and degenerative joint disease have not met the criteria for a higher disability rating, with no functional loss or instability issues.

The Veteran's appeal of the denial of service connection for a left knee condition has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's service-connected total right knee replacement status post revision is rated at 60 percent, effective from the date of the RO's decision.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, but denied the claim for a left ankle strain.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the failure to appear for a scheduled VA examination. The case will be readjudicated after attempting to reschedule the examination and obtaining any additional evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's postoperative right knee disability, manifested by flexion to 100 degrees with pain at 100 degrees and extension to zero degrees without pain or additional functional loss, warrants a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5260 (limitation of flexion) and Diagnostic Code 5261 (limitation of extension). The Board denied an initial higher rating.