Knee decisions — 2003

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues and evidence. The case is now returned to the RO for additional development.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disorders was denied initially and again after reopening. The case is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records from Drs. Garrett and Amato.

The RO denied an increased rating for the veteran's chondromalacia patella, left knee condition.

The Board has ordered further development in your case due to the need for additional evidence. Your case was sent to the Board's Evidence Development Unit (EDU) for this purpose.

The veteran's claim for an increased initial rating for his right knee disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development and notification.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the residuals of a right knee injury, finding that the veteran experiences severe recurrent subluxation and granting additional disability not already considered under Diagnostic Code 5257.

The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for right hip and left knee disorders, as the provided evidence did not relate these conditions to his service-connected weak feet.

The Board has granted service connection for the residuals of a left knee injury, including left knee pain.

The Board has ordered further development due to the need for additional medical records. The case will be returned to the RO for this purpose.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues and is remanding the case back to the RO for additional consideration.

The Board previously denied the veteran's claim for disability compensation benefits under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to a procedural defect in notice provided by VA. The Court has now remanded the case back to the agency of original jurisdiction (VBA) to ensure proper VCAA notification and readjudication.

The Board denied service connection for internal derangement of the left knee, finding that it was not established through direct evidence.

The Board has restored the 20 percent rating for the service-connected right knee disability and denied the claims of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability secondary to the service-connected right knee disability, as well as the claim for an increased rating for the right knee disability.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues regarding increased ratings for intervertebral disc syndrome and left knee reconstruction. The case will be returned to the RO for additional examination and consideration.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to service connection for chondromalacia of the patella of the left knee, left Achilles tendonitis, and bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board has ordered further development in the veteran's case, including obtaining additional medical records and arranging for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any left knee disability and tinnitus. The case will be returned to the RO for this purpose.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, hypertension, bilateral knee disability, and right wrist disorder. They also found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen claims of service connection for low back and left wrist disabilities.

The Board granted the veteran's claims for an initial 20 percent rating for left knee arthritis effective March 27, 2003, and denied his other claims. The RO&IC assigned separate 10 percent ratings for lateral instability of the right knee and right knee strain with degenerative changes.

The Board has ordered further development due to the need for additional evidence. The case is now being sent back to the RO for a VA orthopedic examination and for any other necessary actions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of a low back disability and TDIU due to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The RO found that there was no evidence linking the claimed low back disorder to his service or any service-connected conditions.