Knee decisions — 2005

The Board found that the veteran's current metatarsalgia of both feet is related to service, but denied her claims for left knee disorder, plantar warts of the left foot, and blisters of the right foot as these conditions were not shown to be related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right leg condition and an increased rating for his shell fragment wound, left knee. The veteran was not granted service connection for a right leg condition due to lack of evidence linking it to his service. His claim for an increased rating was also denied as there is no evidence showing that his current symptoms are more severe than those at the time of his last rating decision.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and consideration of the issues raised.

The Board has granted an initial disability rating of 20 percent for instability as a residual of left knee injury, status-post meniscectomy, effective from June 20, 1994.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the relationship between the veteran's service-connected left knee disorder and other claimed conditions. The issues of entitlement to service connection remain in dispute.

The Board has denied service connection for right knee, ankle, and toe disorders as they are not separate from the already service-connected gunshot wound to the thigh and injury to the peroneal nerve.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a chronic right knee disability, arthritis of the left great toe, or bilateral foot disorder (including flat feet) that was incurred in service. The claims are therefore denied.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA orthopedic examination and reviewing the expanded record to consider service connection for multiple disorders due to exposure to herbicides.

The veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the left knee is being remanded due to outstanding service records and further medical examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a corneal abrasion of the right eye and chronic fatigue syndrome. The knee pain was found to be due to an undiagnosed illness, but other issues were not supported by evidence.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected right knee condition is being remanded due to the need for a new examination and consideration of additional evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and initial compensable ratings for left shoulder pain, muscle tension headaches, residuals of a lateral internal sphincterotomy for an anal fissure, and left knee disability. The evidence did not support granting any of these claims.

The Board has granted a rating of 10 percent for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a right ankle injury, effective from February 1961. The claims for service connection for a right knee disability and low back disability are denied as secondary to the service-connected right ankle injury.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased rating of diabetes mellitus and service connection for right ankle and left knee disabilities due to lack of evidence linking current conditions to service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee disabilities are being remanded to the RO for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and readjudication of the claims.

The Board has remanded the case for a Travel Board hearing due to the veteran's cancellation of his scheduled video conference hearing.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to assess the veteran's left knee disability and determine if separate ratings are warranted for arthritis and instability.

The Board found that the veteran does not have type II diabetes mellitus that is attributable to his active military service. The claims for increased evaluations of bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and right knee medial meniscectomy are pending.

The Board found that the veteran did not submit new and material evidence to reopen his claim for service connection of a right knee disability, as the evidence presented was insufficient to establish that the current condition is related to active duty.

The VA denied reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses because the care was not rendered in a medical emergency and VA facilities were available to treat the veteran's conditions.