Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee instability and osteoarthritis of the right knee were denied. The highest schedular rating available for right knee instability is 30 percent, which was already assigned. For osteoarthritis prior to January 2006, a higher rating than 10 percent was not warranted due to lack of limitation of motion.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to February 2, 2006 and from April 1, 2006. The VA determined that the condition warranted a rating of 10 percent based on post-operative residuals of a medial meniscus tear.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities has been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, lung condition, neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), right shoulder arthritis, left hand arthritis, bilateral wrist arthritis, bilateral knee arthritis, and bilateral hip arthritis have been denied. The denial is based on the lack of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors for these conditions.

The Veteran's total left knee arthroplasty is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating based on current evidence of record.

The Board found no evidence of current left or right knee disorders related to active service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims for service connection for back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability can be decided.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a currently diagnosed bilateral knee or ankle disability, and his right renal cyst, hypertension, GERD, hiatal hernia with esophagus narrowing and polyps, and deviated left nasal septum are all considered to be related to his active military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for burn scars of both feet, right knee disorder, left knee disorder (including as secondary to the right knee disorder), and dental disorder were denied. The Board found that there is no current disability from burn scars on her feet and that her right and left knee disorders are not related to her military service.

The Board is remanding the case for clarification of medical evidence and a VA examination to determine the diagnoses and etiologies of the appellant's bilateral knees, low back, and whether any are related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is proximately due to his service-connected left knee disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral ankle disability and eligibility for VA outpatient dental treatment, but denied service connection for his bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal involves claims for service connection for various foot, ankle, knee, hip, and low back disabilities. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address these issues.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hand disability, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral knee disability, back disability, neck disability, and residuals of right ankle sprain have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a right knee disorder and granted it, finding that new evidence supports the reopening of the claim.

The Veteran's bilateral total knee replacements are not considered service-connected as there is no evidence of a disease or injury incurred in service, and the current conditions do not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a current right knee condition that is etiologically related to service, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spondylosis with strain was increased to a 40 percent rating effective November 22, 2008. The right knee strain remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to April 17, 1998, for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as he did not meet the criteria for TDIU prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and right knee disabilities are not related to his military service, leading to a denial of these claims.