Knee decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current residuals of frostbitten feet, and his right ankle sprain, right hand injury residuals, right shin/tibia disability, bladder disability, right knee disability, or low back disability are not related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to a service-connected condition. Therefore, service connection for this disability is denied.

The veteran's service-connected varicose veins of the left and right legs are currently rated at 10 percent each. The Board finds that these ratings are appropriate given the current clinical findings.

The Board has granted an effective date of February 19, 2003 for the award of nonservice-connected pension benefits due to the veteran's diagnosis with coronary artery disease on that date. The earlier effective date is based on her hospitalization and subsequent diagnosis.

The veteran's appeals for increased ratings in various service-connected disabilities were denied. The right knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to November 12, 2004 and 30 percent from January 1, 2006. Other conditions had their respective ratings either unchanged or not addressed.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for instability of the right knee medial collateral ligament with bony enlargement and arthritis of the right knee, finding that the evidence did not support higher evaluations.

The Board has reopened the veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic otitis media. Bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to service, while tinnitus was also linked to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities and burn scars, finding that there is no clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-service existence or aggravation during service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disorders due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred during or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied all claims for service connection and the veteran's appeal is dismissed.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to August 17, 2004 and at 20 percent from that date. The Board found no evidence of additional loss of function or instability warranting higher ratings.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and an evaluation of 10 percent for the left knee disability, finding that the appellant's PTSD was due to his active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral hip, knee, and ankle disorders as secondary to his service-connected low back disability and/or service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disorder and left middle finger disability are related to service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant before a decision was made. As such, the appeal is dismissed.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his right knee disability and service connection for a left knee condition claimed as secondary to his right knee disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for back disability, right knee disability, left eye disability, thyroid disorder, chronic headaches, residuals of chest injury, and hypertension. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including memory loss, bilateral hip and knee disabilities, elbow disability, and shoulder and thoracic spine disabilities, were denied as they are not considered to be due to undiagnosed illness or a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service medical records and requests for additional information from the veteran.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for right index finger injury has been withdrawn. The case is being remanded to the RO for further development and consideration of her claims for low back pain, bilateral knee pain, and pelvic pain and spasms on the right side.