Knee decisions — 2003

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral leg and knee disability and depression, finding that these conditions did not begin during or as a result of his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's claimed conditions.

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

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of current disabilities or residuals from head injury and right knee injury in service. Service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The veteran's left knee disability, characterized as arthritis and a medial meniscal tear, has been granted service connection with an initial evaluation of 10 percent. The RO also assigned a separate evaluation for instability and deformity of the left knee.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the veteran's right knee disability, which is rated as 10 percent for instability and 20 percent for arthritis with limitation of motion.

The RO denied the veteran's claims for various disabilities, including left knee disability, skull fracture residuals, fractures of first proximal phalanx, facial scars, renal calculi, and a left thumb scar. The decision is not about service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis, a heart disability (including hypertension), and left knee tendonitis. The claim for a compensable evaluation for residuals of a fracture of the left 3rd digit was granted with a noncompensable evaluation.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues regarding the veteran's left knee disability and hearing loss. The case will be remanded for additional examination and review of evidence.

The veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder and Guillain-Barre syndrome, as secondary to a swine flu vaccination. The appeal is being remanded due to the need for a hearing.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected right knee disability, which was rated as 10 percent disabling since September 1955, did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes. The evidence showed no more than slight recurrent subluxation or lateral instability and occasional pain without frequent episodes of 'locking,' effusion into the joint, or limitation in range of motion.

The Board has granted service connection for a right foot disorder, including right foot drop. The claims of entitlement to higher initial evaluations for keloid scars and degenerative joint disease of the right knee are addressed in the REMAND section.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder secondary to the veteran's service-connected left knee disability and has increased the evaluation of his left knee disability from 10% to 20%. A separate 10% evaluation is assigned for arthritis of the left knee.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's appeal of the RO's April 1998 denial of increased disability ratings for migraine headaches, tachycardia, gout, tinea pedis, right foot plantar fasciitis, and gastroenteritis due to a lack of timely filed substantive appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including examinations by VA specialists and review of private clinical records. The veteran's right knee disability, gastrointestinal problems, and sinusitis are under consideration.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a neck injury and an increased rating for left knee anterior cruciate ligament repair, finding no current disability or evidence of continuity of symptomatology. The claim for service connection was denied due to lack of medical diagnosis and the claim for increased rating was denied as there is no compensable disability.

The Board has granted a 20% evaluation for the veteran's left knee disorder, effective from January 1997. The right knee disorder remains at 10%.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The VA found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for his depressive reaction, lumbar disc disease, or left knee disability.

The veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations for her bilateral knee and wrist disorders were denied as the current assigned ratings do not reflect the severity of her symptoms.