Knee decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA examination and opinion regarding the veteran's claimed bilateral knee disorder and back disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for ganglion cyst of the right wrist, bilateral pes planus, and left knee strain. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder and bilateral knee conditions are not service-connected, but his asthma claim is reopened due to new evidence. The veteran's preexisting asthma was aggravated by military service.

The Board finds no present right knee disability and the evidence does not support service connection for a right knee disability, thus denying the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for service-connected residuals of fractured right wrist and left pubis rami, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board has granted service connection for recurrent left shoulder strain and denied the veteran's claims for right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disability, and cervical spine disability.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims for service connection for fractured ribs, right clavicle fracture, residuals of right knee arthrotomy, and stomach ulcers.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether the veteran had a left knee disorder prior to entering service and if it was aggravated during service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication of issues related to service connection, including a knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and hypertension.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has remanded the case for further development and reconsideration due to errors in notification regarding incarceration, which led to an overpayment. The veteran's compensation benefits were reduced upon his incarceration, resulting in a debt that was denied waiver.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional medical records and a VA examination, as the veteran underwent total right knee replacement surgery in September 2004.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for secondary service connection for lumbar spine disability, bilateral hip arthritis, and disabilities of the knees and ankles. The appeals were not granted.

The VA has determined that the veteran's right knee disability, characterized by instability without definite pain, weakness or swelling, warrants a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5257.

The VA determined that the veteran's current right knee disability did not exist prior to service and was not aggravated by service. The Board found that the pre-service injury existed, but it did not worsen during service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability is related to service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The November 21, 1972 rating decision granted service connection for minimal osteoarthritis of both knees and denied service connection for the postoperative residuals of a left knee meniscectomy. The veteran's appeal is mixed as some issues were granted (service connection for arthritis) while others were not (denial of residuals from surgery).

The veteran's service-connected left and right knee patellofemoral syndromes are each rated at 10 percent, effective September 24, 1998. The residuals of fracture to the 5th metatarsal in the right foot are currently noncompensable.

The veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected due to lack of evidence supporting a link between his symptoms and active duty.

The veteran's claims for an increased rating and service connection were denied. The herniated nucleus pulposus at L5-S1 is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, effective October 21, 1998.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for traumatic arthritis of the left knee and a 20 percent rating for postoperative residuals of subtrochanteric fracture of the left femur, effective from November 17, 1994.