Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected knee disabilities. If the examination results do not result in a revised rating assignment enabling a grant of TDIU, the case will be forwarded to VA's Under Secretary for Benefits or the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for consideration of an extraschedular rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased evaluation of his right wrist disability, finding that the current level of disability did not warrant a rating in excess of ten percent.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to active service and granted his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred on May 17, 2008 were for a medical emergency of such severity that delay would have been hazardous to his health. The closest VA facility was not feasibly available due to the Veteran's inability to drive.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle strain and right knee disability, but granted a 50% rating for posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Board has determined that additional development is required in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining SSA records and providing VCAA notification.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee arthritis was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected left knee disability. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status was denied as he does not meet the criteria for either benefit.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of chronic coccygodynia was denied as her condition is already rated at the maximum available rating. The claim for service connection for a left knee disability was also denied, with no further development or examination requested due to lack of evidence indicating a current left knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and right knee disorder, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the low back claim. The right knee claim was remanded but not addressed in this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for below the knee amputation of the right foot and partial amputation of the left foot as secondary to service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient records and needs further development before a decision can be made.

The Board has determined that the appellant's osteoarthritis of the right knee was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may it be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Veteran's initial ratings for residuals of a right thumb ligament injury and residuals of a left knee and hamstring injury have been granted, with the latter receiving an initial rating of 10 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, residuals of a fracture of the left leg, and various knee disabilities. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for shrapnel wounds to his right knee and left side of the chin. The Board has determined that further examination and opinion are needed before a decision can be made.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for tendonitis of the right wrist, right heel, left heel, and right knee are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports. The Veteran also has pending claims for service connection for chronic urticaria, pneumonia and pleural effusion, headaches due to head trauma, and an initial compensable evaluation for left knee strain.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, chloracne, and diabetes mellitus were denied as new and material evidence was not submitted. The claim for neuropathy is reopened but service connection is not granted due to lack of a nexus between the current condition and service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected shoulder and knee disabilities are being remanded to the RO for further development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, and he had been receiving a total disability rating for service-connected disabilities continuously since the date of separation from active duty. However, as the appellant did not file a claim for TDIU prior to September 1997, the ten-year threshold period required by law has not been met.