Knee decisions — 2004

The Board has granted service connection for right and left shoulder disorders, but denied a higher rating for arthritis of the hands and knees. The veteran's current symptoms include pain in his hands and knees, as well as impingement syndrome in his shoulders.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral knee and low back disabilities did not pre-exist service, but were not incurred or aggravated by service. The claim for service connection was therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication due to incomplete service medical records, particularly those from July 1981 to March 1987 in the Army.

The veteran is seeking service connection for knee injuries sustained during active duty. The case has been remanded due to the need for further evidentiary development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left ankle and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating than currently assigned.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left and right knee disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may arthritis of the knees be presumed to have been incurred in service. The claim for a low back disorder was denied as new and material evidence had not been submitted sufficient to reopen it.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his knee disabilities were denied. The specific issues included right and left knee laxity, arthritis of the knees, and TDIU.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial disability rating, in excess of 10 percent, for a chronic low back strain disability and for an initial compensable disability rating for residuals of left knee strain.

The veteran's claims for service connection, increased evaluations for duodenal ulcer and medial meniscectomy of the right knee are being remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the conditions are not considered to be incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's epicondylitis of the left elbow and left knee chondromalacia were incurred during active service.

The veteran's common peroneal neuropathy of the left lower extremity is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and an increased evaluation in excess of this rating is denied.,The veteran's traumatic arthritis of the left knee with decreased range of motion is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, and an increased evaluation in excess of this rating is denied.

The VA denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for status post internal derangement of the left knee, as the current clinical findings do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral foot and left knee disabilities are not related to his active service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further development, including obtaining medical records from a hospital in 1960.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to conflicting medical evidence regarding the veteran's current diagnoses and their etiology.

The veteran's service connection for residuals of a left knee shrapnel injury was granted. However, the claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for post-traumatic stress disorder was denied.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure, low back disability secondary to left ankle sprain, and bilateral knee disabilities secondary to left ankle sprain. The veteran was assigned a 30% initial rating for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disorder and is now considering the secondary service connection claim for a left knee disorder.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted, with the effective date being March 19, 2003. The highest rating of 70 percent was assigned for PTSD as of that date.