Knee decisions — 2004

The veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining more information about his employment history and conducting another VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's residuals of bilateral knee injury, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by an in-service injury.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder and a right knee disorder, finding no medical evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's active military service. The claims are remanded for further action.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, left knee meniscectomy residuals, and ethmoid sinusitis. The veteran was not granted any of his requested higher ratings.

The veteran's unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is not factually ascertainable prior to August 1, 1990.

The VA has determined that the veteran's right knee chondromalacia and tendonitis, post-arthroscopy and partial meniscectomy, does not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee disability, while causing some discomfort and pain, did not warrant a higher rating than 10 percent due to its limited functional impairment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disorder is related to his service, while his left knee disorder is not related to his service.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for osteochondritis dissecans of the left knee with osteoarthritis and found no basis to grant a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral knee disability was not incurred or aggravated during his active duty service and denied his claim.

The Board has found that the veteran's upper digestive system disorders were not incurred or aggravated in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated medical evidence and arranging for a VA examination to assess the current severity of the veteran's left and right knee disabilities.

The veteran's claim for a non-service-connected pension, including on an extra-schedular basis, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and notification under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA).

The Board has determined that the veteran became unemployable due to service-connected disabilities starting from his October 7, 1998 hospitalization for PTSD. Therefore, an effective date of May 13, 2001 is granted.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected left knee disability, including post-traumatic arthritis and occasional flare-ups causing pain and limitation of motion.

The Board has granted service connection for the right knee disability as secondary to the service-connected left knee and low back disabilities. The veteran is now entitled to a higher rating for his low back disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right and left knee disorders, including degenerative joint disease, did not develop during service or are otherwise related to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a right ankle or right knee disability, and there is no evidence of bilateral hearing loss. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was previously denied in 1983 without appeal, but new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen this claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining recent treatment records and scheduling a VA examination of his knees to assess the current severity of his knee disorders.