Knee decisions — 2005

The veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation benefits was denied as he did not cooperate with the program and decided to enroll in training instead of seeking employment.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for traumatic arthritis of the knee and residuals of a left tibial tuberosity fracture with degenerative changes, finding that the evidence does not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for chondromalacia of the right knee, finding that the evidence did not support such a higher rating. The issue of service connection for depression was also addressed and found to be denied due to lack of proper notice of disagreement.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disorder and acid reflux were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied these claims.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service for any of the claimed conditions and denied all claims.

The veteran's service-connected chondromalacia of the right knee is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling prior to July 26, 1999 and 20 percent disabling from that date. The Board finds no evidence of severe impairment including recurrent subluxation or lateral instability warranting a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have osteoarthritis of the knees or degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine that is related to service-connected disabilities. Therefore, his claims for these conditions are denied.

The veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his left knee disability has been dismissed as he withdrew the issue from appellate consideration.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for instability of the left knee, arthritis of the left knee, and muscle herniation of the left thigh. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's appeal is for higher initial ratings for several service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hypertension with cardiomegaly, and left shoulder impingement syndrome. The RO has denied these claims.,The veteran's most recent VA evaluations were conducted in December 1998 and January 1999.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), right and left knee arthritis, a respiratory disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a lumbar spine disorder, a bilateral arm disorder, and a visual disorder.

The RO denied the veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of a right knee injury, to include arthritis, in November 1970. The decision was based on the evidence showing a right knee injury during service but not meeting the criteria for service connection.

The veteran's appeal includes claims for an increased evaluation and TDIU. The case must be remanded to the RO for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any left knee and hip disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA examination to determine the nature, etiology, and extent of the veteran's knee disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss or a bilateral knee disorder, and therefore service connection for these conditions cannot be established.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for traumatic arthritis of the right knee, finding that the evidence did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are sufficiently disabling to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted his claim for a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the right knee, finding that there was no evidence showing presence of arthritis within one year of separation from service and no link between current disability and service.

The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a disability rating greater than 30 percent for left total knee replacement, and thus denies the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions and therefore service connection cannot be granted for any of them.