Knee decisions — 2005

The veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was denied, and the effective date of his TDIU award is not granted. The dental condition claim remains pending.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bursitis/degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, dental disability, PTSD, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, coronary artery disease, and lumbar degenerative disc disease, were denied. The conditions are not considered to be related to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral knee disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by military service, and denied his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for PTSD with depression due to VA treatment.

The Board has granted increased evaluations for the veteran's left and right knee disabilities, each rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing service medical records and outstanding VA outpatient medical records.

The Board granted service connection for disabilities of the left knee, left hip, and low back effective May 17, 2000. The claim for a left ankle disability was also granted effective May 17, 2000. No earlier effective dates are warranted.

The Board found no evidence of a service-connected frostbite or cold injury, and thus denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right eye disability, diabetes mellitus, and left knee disability including arthritis. The decision found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examination.

The Board denied the claim for service connection of a low back disorder as secondary to service-connected right knee disabilities, finding that appellant's current low back condition is more likely related to his workplace injury in 1983 than to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further action, including consideration of an extraschedular evaluation due to the veteran's left knee disability and its impact on employment.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee injury, finding that the condition did not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed back, left knee, left hip, and right hip disabilities are not related to service or any inservice injury.

The Board denied service connection for left knee, left hip, and low back disabilities in March 1976 based on the evidence of record at that time.

The Board denied secondary service connection for chronic venous disease, finding that the veteran's right knee disabilities did not cause or aggravate his existing venous disorder.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral knee disabilities and whether he experiences occasional incapacitating exacerbations due to arthritis.

The Board found that the overpayment of compensation benefits was properly created due to the veteran's receipt of active service pay while on active duty, and thus denied the appeal.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for postoperative injury of the left knee and denied an increased rating for traumatic arthritis of the left knee.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, a low back disability, and hepatitis C. The claim of service connection for a left knee disability is pending.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disability does not render him unemployable due to his inability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.