Knee decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to outstanding records from Pender Memorial Hospital in 1970 and Moncrief Army Community Hospital in 1971, as well as a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the current ratings for right and left knee disabilities are appropriate, with no need to grant higher ratings.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disability has resulted in complaints of weakness, pain, and stiffness. The knee has not resulted in symptomatic scarring, hospitalizations, or marked interference with employment.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his subluxation of the left knee is being remanded due to the need for further development of evidence.

The VA denied increased ratings for postoperative residuals of a right knee arthrotomy and meniscectomy, as well as for arthritis of the right knee. The veteran's combined rating remains at 30 percent.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and knee disorder as the claimed conditions are not shown to be related to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 21, 2001 for TDIU due to her service-connected bilateral knee disorders and foot disabilities. The evidence did not show that she was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 21, 2001.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability associated with his claimed conditions, and therefore service connection cannot be granted for any of these issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, which is the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5260 for limitation of flexion. The RO has granted these ratings as they do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability was not incurred in service and is not related to his service-connected left knee disability. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The veteran's claim for specially adapted housing assistance is remanded due to the need for a current VA examination and the retrieval of her VA treatment records.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the RO's April 2003 decision assigning a 10 percent disability rating for arthritis of the left knee, as no substantive appeal was filed within the required time period. The veteran also abandoned his claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee meniscal tear.

The Board found no chronic left knee disorder was incurred during service and that the veteran's osteochondritis dissecans was not aggravated by any incident of active service.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of a left thigh injury was granted, with the effective date being February 12, 1998.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and rash of both ankles as there is no competent medical evidence of current disabilities related to his periods of active duty or reserve training.

The veteran's claims for increased PTSD, reopening a right wrist injury claim, and service connection for various conditions were denied. The denial of the PTSD claim is due to failure to meet the criteria for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent. The denial of the right wrist injury claim is due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection was not granted for asthma, digestive disorder, broken finger (right or left), patellofemoral arthritis, headaches, bilateral hearing loss, prostatitis, skin disorders, or lung disorders.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various orthopedic, respiratory, and cardiovascular disabilities. The right wrist disability was not related to military service, nor were the low back or bilateral knee disabilities. The bilateral foot disability (plantar warts) was linked to active duty. Hypertension was not shown to be related to military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back, left knee, and right shoulder disorders. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral leg disorder and arthritis of the back, knees, and hips. The evidence does not support these claims as there is no current diagnosis or credible link to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric condition, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service. The veteran's degenerative joint disease of the right knee was also not found to be related to service. Therefore, all claims for service connection are denied.