Knee decisions — 2004

The Board has granted a 20 percent disability evaluation for traumatic arthritis of the left knee, effective from May 21, 2003.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the veteran's current right knee disorder and his service. The veteran needs a VA examination to determine if there is a link between his in-service injury and his current condition.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of residuals of a left knee injury and found that new evidence submitted since the last denial supports this claim. The veteran's current diagnosed left knee disorders are considered to be related to his in-service injury.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of the claims for a higher rating for his right knee disability and service connection for a low back disability.

The veteran's right knee arthritis is rated at 10 percent, and his ligamentous laxity post-surgery is also rated at 10 percent. Both conditions are considered 'direct' service connection.

The veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the ankles, knees, and back as secondary to his service-connected traumatic arthritis of the left and right great toes, post-operative cheilotomy was denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a new VA examination.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are being remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and initial evaluations in excess of 10 percent for arthritis of the right knee, lateral instability of the left knee, and arthritis of the left knee. The veteran's current hearing loss is not considered a disability under VA criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his claim for service connection for a right thumb disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying combat exposure.

The Board has found that the veteran had chronic left knee disorder with degenerative joint disease incurred during service. The veteran does not currently have a hearing loss disability within VA's definition of such a condition.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a medical examination to determine the presence and etiology of any left hip disorder. The issues include service connection for left hip arthritis as secondary to right knee and right ankle conditions, an increased rating for right ankle degenerative joint disease, and service connection for a right shoulder disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right above the knee amputation, secondary to complications from a May 1995 total knee replacement, was not due to VA carelessness or negligence. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether it was a foreseeable risk of the procedure.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration records and medical records relied upon concerning those records.

The veteran withdrew her appeal for service connection of osteoarthritis of the left knee before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for postoperative residuals of a right knee injury with degenerative changes, instability of the right knee, and a right knee scar. The veteran's disabilities are currently rated based on their functional limitations due to pain.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling an orthopedic examination.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability was granted, with a temporary total rating assigned from May 3, 2001 to June 30, 2001. A separate evaluation of 10 percent for arthritis of the right knee is also granted.