Knee decisions — 2004

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, but further development is needed to determine if he is entitled to service connection for his claimed left hand and/or wrist disability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for chondromalacia of the left and right knees, as well as tinea versicolor of the chest and upper back, are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his service-connected left knee disability and for service connection of a back condition secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The evidence did not support granting either claim.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination to determine the etiology of any current right shoulder, arm, knee, hip, or neck disorders.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of metal fume fever and tinnitus, as well as his other disability claims. The decision is final due to lack of appeal.

The Board found that the veteran's current left knee disability, diagnosed as medial compartment narrowing post medical meniscectomy with residual chondromalacia, was incurred in service and is related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection of his left knee DJD as secondary to his service-connected fracture residuals, finding no evidence that the DJD was caused or aggravated by the service-connected condition.

The veteran's right knee disability, characterized by degenerative changes with some pain on motion, does not warrant more than the currently assigned 10 percent evaluation.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's appeals regarding issues of effective dates and increased ratings for right knee arthritis and instability, as no timely substantive appeal was received.

The veteran's left knee arthritis is currently rated at 20 percent disabling, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his current functional impairment.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected right tibia and fibula fracture with limitation of motion of the right knee, currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the veteran was exposed to acoustic trauma during service and experiences a constant ringing in his ears. The other claims are not addressed as they were not decided by the RO.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and adjudication, including the consideration of her claims for increased ratings for service-connected disabilities and a TDIU. The RO must also obtain all relevant medical records and conduct a VA examination to assess the impact of her service-connected conditions on her employability.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for osteoarthritis of the shoulder and knees. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, including from Dr. Deloria and Dr. Chua-Balmadrid, and to provide the veteran with a VA examination to determine the nature of his osteoarthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a skin rash, and inflamed joints to include knees, hands, and feet due to herbicide exposure. The conditions are presumed to be related to such exposure.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of her claims.

The Board has granted a higher rating of 10 percent for the veteran's scar on his right knee, effective from April 2, 2002. The other two scars have been rated as non-compensable.

The Board denied the veteran's request for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred from March to May 2001 due to a cervical spine disorder, finding that VA facilities were feasibly available and treatment had been scheduled.

The Board has determined that the appeal is dismissed due to a lack of timely substantive appeal for the initial evaluation of acne vulgaris. The remaining issues are addressed in the REMAND portion.