Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected scars on his right ankle have been rated as 10 percent disabling since December 2001. The June 2006 rating decision reduced the rating to 0 percent effective May 6, 2006 due to non-tender scars, but this did not affect the monetary award.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder.

The Veteran seeks service connection for joint disabilities, including as secondary to his service-connected heart condition. The Board finds that a new VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of any current knee, shoulder, hip, and/or back disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not been sufficient to prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment since September 11, 2003.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation of his right knee disability are being remanded due to inadequate medical examination in the April 2006 VA examination report. The case will be readjudicated after a new examination is conducted.

The Board has found that the Veteran's fatigue and bilateral knee pain, diagnosed as fibromyalgia associated with bilateral knee pain, are presumed to have been incurred during her service in the Persian Gulf War.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disorders are related to her military service and granted service connection for right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability is related to his military service, while his right knee disability cannot be linked to any incident or injury during service.

The Veteran's claimed disabilities are not presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to ionizing radiation. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and bilateral knee disabilities are related to service, granting her claims for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus and bilateral knee disabilities are at least in part due to and/or have been significantly contributed to by his service-connected disabilities, including traumatic lumbar degenerative disc disease with diminished rectal tone, stress incontinence and erectile dysfunction, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and residuals of fracture, bone of the left 5th metatarsal with traumatic degenerative arthritis.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders, but finds that further development is needed to address whether these conditions are related to his service-connected low back disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for an additional VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability due to new and material evidence submitted by the Veteran. The case is now remanded for further development, including an examination and opinion regarding the relationship between the current left knee disability and active service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claim for an initially compensable evaluation for status post fusion scars, midline low back and posterosuperior iliac crest associated with degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine status post plates with screws at L4-5 and L5-S1 was denied. The Board also found that service connection for PTSD, a bilateral hip disorder, and a bilateral knee disorder is not warranted as secondary to a service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's right knee disability including DJD and chronic low back disorder are granted as service connected.

The Board found that the Veteran's arthritis of the hands, shoulders, knees, and feet did not have its onset during service or within one year thereafter. The VA examination reports concluded that any current arthritis was not caused by military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left lower extremity disability, which was rated as 30 percent disabling under Diagnostic Codes 5257 & 5311-5312, has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for residual soft tissue scarring resulting from multiple shrapnel fragment wounds has been granted and is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected osteoarthritis of the right knee is manifested by range of motion from 0 to 90 degrees with pain and mild edema. The Board found no additional limitation due to pain, fatigue, weakness or lack of endurance following repetitive use. A higher rating was not warranted under DeLuca criteria.