Knee decisions — 2005

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional information and for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back, left knee, heart (other than hypertension), and liver disorders in May 1995 and October 1996 due to a lack of evidence of chronic disabilities associated with service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral hip disorder, left knee disorder, cervical spine disorder, or thoracic spine disorder related to service. As such, these claims for service connection are denied.

The veteran's claim for service connection for his right knee replacement is remanded due to the need for an additional VA examination. The case will be reviewed again after the examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and a personality disorder due to lack of evidence showing current disabilities. The veteran failed to report for a scheduled VA examination, which prevented the Board from determining if he currently had these conditions.

The veteran's bilateral heel contusions are currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The left knee disability was found to be incurred in service, but the skin disability has been determined not to be related to service.

The Board has granted a rating of 30 percent for post-traumatic degenerative joint disease of the left knee, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for internal derangement of the left knee and a separate 10 percent rating for arthritis of the left knee, both under the direct service connection theory. The veteran's appeal is now resolved in his favor.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for internal derangement of the left knee, finding that his pre-existing condition did not worsen during service.

The VA determined that the veteran's right knee disability, currently manifested by pain with limitation of flexion but no instability or subluxation, does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current chronic acquired left knee disorder and denied his claim of service connection for this condition as secondary to his service-connected low back spondylolysis at L5-S1.

The veteran's increased ratings for right and left knee bursitis have been granted, effective from the date of his claim in July 2000.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for the issue of entitlement to service connection for peptic ulcer disease at a hearing before the Board.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus but granted a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's left knee disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including rheumatic fever with heart murmur, ear disability, left knee disability, residuals of a broken nose (including breathing problems and a fractured nasal bone), shortened right leg with back pain and neuropathy, and mental disability to include PTSD. The denial is based on lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current manifestations of his condition.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and consideration of all evidence received since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The VA has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected right knee disorder since March 1, 2004. The VA denied an increased rating for her sinusitis.

The Board has granted increased ratings for derangement of the medial cartilage of the right knee with lateral instability and degenerative changes of the right knee with limitation of motion, both rated at 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a right knee disorder or headaches related to his military service and therefore denied both claims.