Knee Board decisions

The Board has expanded the issue to include psychiatric disorders. The RO denied service connection for a right leg scar and schizophrenia, but failed to provide a Statement of the Case. The case is remanded to prepare such a statement.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical examinations and failure to follow directives in previous decisions. The veteran is required to provide additional evidence, including treatment records from VA healthcare systems.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her residuals of fractured ribs with intermittent sternal pain and chondromalacia of the right knee, finding that the current evaluations did not adequately reflect the severity of these disabilities.

The VA has determined that the veteran's right knee replacement disability does not warrant a rating in excess of the current 60 percent, as it does not meet the criteria for an increased evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee patellofemoral syndrome and bilateral mid foot arthritis are not due to disease or injury incurred in service, nor can they be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions were not incurred in or a result of military service and denied his claims for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a right knee, back, hearing loss, or tinnitus disorder in service and denied the veteran's claims for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that the current conditions are related to a motor vehicle accident in 1991 during active service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for pes planus, degenerative arthritis of the shoulders, cervical spine, elbows, wrists, hands, hips, knees and ankles, hypertension, and arteriosclerotic heart disease are all denied as these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by his active military service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to outstanding records from Pender Memorial Hospital in 1970 and Moncrief Army Community Hospital in 1971, as well as a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the current ratings for right and left knee disabilities are appropriate, with no need to grant higher ratings.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disability has resulted in complaints of weakness, pain, and stiffness. The knee has not resulted in symptomatic scarring, hospitalizations, or marked interference with employment.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his subluxation of the left knee is being remanded due to the need for further development of evidence.

The VA denied increased ratings for postoperative residuals of a right knee arthrotomy and meniscectomy, as well as for arthritis of the right knee. The veteran's combined rating remains at 30 percent.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and knee disorder as the claimed conditions are not shown to be related to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 21, 2001 for TDIU due to her service-connected bilateral knee disorders and foot disabilities. The evidence did not show that she was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 21, 2001.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability associated with his claimed conditions, and therefore service connection cannot be granted for any of these issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, which is the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5260 for limitation of flexion. The RO has granted these ratings as they do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability was not incurred in service and is not related to his service-connected left knee disability. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.