Knee decisions — 2005

The veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and an opinion regarding his service connection.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, as well as compensable evaluations for headaches and a right knee disability. The decision is based on the merits of the claims.

The Board denied the veteran's attempt to reopen his claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board denied a higher rating for the service-connected right knee disability and held that the veteran was entitled to a separate 10 percent rating for arthritis of the right knee. The claim for TDIU based on the right knee disability is granted.

The veteran is found to be unemployable due to the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities, including depression and multiple other conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a left knee injury, manifested by residual scarring and traumatic arthritis is granted. The claims for right knee and bilateral leg disorders as well as heart disease are denied.

The veteran is seeking service connection for an above-the-knee amputation of the right leg, which he claims was caused by his service-connected gout. The case has been remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and a comprehensive opinion regarding the relationship between the service-connected condition and the current disability.

The veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 50 percent effective December 21, 2001. His low back disability is rated at 10 percent since March 17, 1997. The Board has granted service connection for his right and left knee disabilities, pancreatitis, inguinal hernia, sinusitis, and arthritis of the feet and knees.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for an orthopedic examination.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected right femur fracture, degenerative joint disease in the right knee, and lumbar strain with fibrositis are being remanded due to insufficient evidence. The RO/AMC must obtain updated VA clinical records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits decision, as well as afford the veteran a VA examination for his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, impaired vision, and a bilateral foot disability have been granted. The claim for service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to service-connected residuals of a right patellar fracture with traumatic arthritis and a total knee replacement was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The veteran's pancreatitis claim has not been substantiated by the medical evidence.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee, left shoulder and low back disabilities have been granted. The left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, the left shoulder disability at 20 percent, and the low back disability prior to June 24, 2004 was also rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss, low back disorder, right knee disorder, and right hip disorder are related to his service due to exposure to noise and repetitive stress while serving aboard a submarine. Service connection is granted for all four conditions.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for chondromalacia of the left knee, status post arthroscopy, manifested by recurrent lateral instability.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities were granted increased ratings of 10 percent each, effective July 1992.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of the evidence, including contacting the U.S. Armed Services Center for Research of Unit Records and providing examinations with nexus opinions relative to his claims.

The Board denied an effective date prior to January 16, 2001 for the award of a total rating based on convalescence or entitlement to a Total Disability Rating Based on Unemployability (TDIU). The decision found that neither unemployability nor an increase in severity of service-connected disabilities was factually ascertainable prior to January 16, 2001.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disorder was not incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his knee and foot disabilities, including obtaining recent treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The claims will be re-adjudicated after the development.

The veteran's service-connected migraine headache disability is rated at 50% disabling, which meets the criteria for a TDIU. The claim for bilateral knee disability was reopened based on new evidence.