Knee decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and requests for additional evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of tendonitis of the knees, a back disorder with muscle spasm, tinnitus, removal of a tooth, or headaches that are related to service. As such, these claims for service connection are denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and bilateral knee conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence. The claim for left knee arthritis is granted.

The Board has granted a temporary total rating for convalescence following surgery in March 1997 and an increased rating for chondromalacia of the right knee.

The veteran withdrew his appeal, citing approval for compensation and receipt of payments.

The Board has granted a 30 percent disability rating for left knee arthritis, effective from the date of the decision. The claim for higher ratings for anxiety reaction and total disability based on individual unemployability remains pending.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and an earlier effective date for service connection are being remanded to the RO for further development.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the hips, back, knees, and fingers due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for secondary service connection for a right hip disability and his increased rating claim for traumatic arthritis of the right knee. The evidence does not support a finding that the right hip disability is related to the service-connected traumatic arthritis of the right knee.

The Board denied the appellant's claims to reopen her service connection for left shoulder and left knee disabilities due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's knee and hip disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling, but the Board finds that these ratings are not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The veteran's application for Service Disabled Veterans' Insurance (RH) was denied because he did not meet the standard of 'good health,' as his nonservice-connected disabilities, including arthritis and obesity, exceeded the allowed threshold.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for respiratory disorder, heart disability, bilateral knee spurring, bilateral foot spurs, lumbosacral strain, and bilateral shoulder degenerative changes as service connection is not established.,However, the Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee spurring, bilateral foot spurs, lumbosacral strain, and bilateral shoulder degenerative changes.

The Board has granted special monthly death pension benefits based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to the appellant's reported difficulties with mobility, cooking, personal hygiene, and self-care.

The Board denied all service connection claims, including for an acquired psychiatric disability (schizophrenia), a right knee disability, a low back disability, and headaches. The veteran's current psychiatric disability was not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, hearing loss, coronary artery disease, dizziness and blackouts, stomach disorder, joint disease of the neck, bilateral knee disorder, right ankle disorder, bilateral hand disorder, and bilateral leg disorder. The decision was based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and left elbow disabilities, finding no evidence of a direct relationship to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed right knee and upper leg disability, as well as his left elbow disability, were not incurred or aggravated during active service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right knee lateral instability warrants a 20 percent disability rating, which is the maximum allowed under Diagnostic Code 5257.

The Board found that the veteran's current left knee disability is not related to his service, as there was no chronic disability during service and no evidence of a nexus between the current condition and any incident of service. The preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.