Knee decisions — 2005

The Board found that the veteran's left knee disorder is not proximately due to or the result of his service connected right knee disorder. The claims for increased ratings for right and left foot disorders are remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various disorders, including a right shoulder disorder, neck disorder, left arm disorder, and knee disorders. The decision also denied his request to reopen a previously denied claim for a right shoulder separation.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to additional development being required.

The veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral knee disability that she claims is secondary to her service-connected left ankle disability. The Board has ordered remand due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and need for additional development of medical records. The veteran is entitled to a higher rating on an extra-schedular basis if found.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the knees and miliaria rubra, finding no evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has granted a 20 percent disability rating for the veteran's service-connected chronic low back pain, effective from December 9, 2004. The claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities remains pending.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the need to provide notice of VCAA and VA's duties in procuring evidence relevant to his claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective date for service connection and increased evaluations, finding that his preexisting conditions were aggravated by service but not warranting an earlier effective date or higher ratings.

The veteran's claims for service connection and initial compensable rating for his hearing loss, back injury, left knee disability, and right knee disability are being remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to outstanding medical records and a need for additional examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as right and left ankle disabilities. The evidence does not show a chronic disability in service or any current disability that is related to service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for right knee disability was granted, and he is currently receiving a 10 percent evaluation for laxity of the left knee. The evaluations for limitation of flexion and extension of the left knee remain at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disorder, claimed as degenerative joint disease, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not proximately due to a service-connected disability. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his residuals of a meniscectomy of the left knee and trichophytosis pedis, finding that the evidence did not warrant higher evaluations under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board has granted a 40% evaluation for the service-connected low back disability, effective from April 1997.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for residuals of a tubal ligation, right foot disability, and bilateral knee disability. The initial ratings for hypothyroidism, DM, and DDD of the lumbar spine are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability is not related to his service-connected left knee disorder and therefore denied the claim.

The veteran's appeal is about the evaluation of his right knee injury and whether the effective date for an increased disability rating was based on clear and unmistakable error. The case must be remanded to schedule a hearing before a traveling Member of the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss does not meet VA disability criteria and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The other issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, acquired pes planus, and chronic headaches secondary to PTSD were also denied.