Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate reasons and bases in two areas: failure to adequately consider pain and functional loss of the left knee at 110 degrees of flexion and on full extension, and failure to address whether a higher or separate rating was warranted based on consideration of Diagnostic Codes 5257, 5260, and 5261.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for muscle and joint pain due to an undiagnosed illness is denied as there are no diagnosed illnesses found.,Service connection for bilateral elbow tendinitis is denied as the condition was not incurred during active duty.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his active military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU have been remanded due to the need to consider both old and new rating criteria, as well as extraschedular considerations. The case will be returned to the Board for further review.

The Board granted an increased rating of 10 percent for the Veteran's left knee chondromalacia patella status post partial lateral meniscectomy and granted a separate, 10 percent rating for instability of the left knee effective February 18, 2005.

The Veteran's right knee disability is manifested by arthritis with some limitation of motion, and no instability. The Board finds that the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent have not been met.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent for limitation of motion, and a separate 10 percent rating has been granted for slight lateral instability. The appeal is resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. His right knee disability was rated at 20 percent, his lumbosacral spine disability was rated at 20 percent prior to September 26, 2003, and 10 percent thereafter, his right shoulder disability was not granted service connection, and his left shoulder disability was also not granted service connection. The appeal for cervical spine disability with bilateral hand numbness was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been granted with appropriate disability ratings.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by daily pain and limited motion, has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his left knee disability. The claim will be reconsidered after this additional evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right knee and left knee disabilities were denied as the evidence did not show that any of these conditions warranted a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee strains are currently rated at 10 percent each, but the VA adjudicator found that these ratings were not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling VA examinations to evaluate the severity of his right thigh disability and determine if his low back and right knee disorders are related to his service-connected right thigh disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a left knee disorder were denied. The Board is remanding the left knee claim to the RO, while deciding the claim for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for postoperative chondromalacia of the right knee was granted, and he is now seeking higher ratings. The current rating of 20% has been maintained.

The Veteran's initial ratings for left knee disability, right foot neuroma with hammertoe deformities, and hallux valgus and hammertoe deformities of the left foot have been granted. However, he is not entitled to higher initial ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and an increased rating for his left forearm disability were denied. The claim for secondary service connection for the shoulder disorder was not addressed as it is related to another issue.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder, right and left knee disorders, urinary disorder, sinus disorder, bronchial disorder, psychiatric disorder, and bilateral pes planus. The Veteran's service records did not show any evidence of these conditions during or after his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the Veteran's claimed orthopedic disorders and determine if any current bilateral knee pain is related to service or an undiagnosed illness.