Knee decisions — 2007

The veteran's left knee and left shoulder disabilities have been granted service connection, but the VA has denied his claims for higher initial ratings.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability, as there was no chronic condition during or after service. The examiner opined that any current left knee disorder is not related to military service and is more likely due to obesity.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right knee disability and whether his left ankle disability may be secondary to or aggravated by this condition.

The Board found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for vocational rehabilitation training under Chapter 31, Title 38, United States Code due to his employment history and lack of an identifiable employment handicap caused by service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and service medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee condition, left knee condition, low back condition, and PTSD with depression. The evidence did not show that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for chronic left knee, ankle, and headache disorders. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by wartime service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for a personal hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The issues include service connection claims and reopening of a previously denied PTSD claim.

The RO reduced the veteran's right knee disability rating from 20 to 10 percent, effective December 1, 2003. The appeal for restoration of a 20 percent rating was denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claimed degenerative joint disease of the right and left knees were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for the veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease and denied an increased rating for his cyst removal residuals. The appeal is pending regarding service connection for glaucoma.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee injuries, finding no evidence of a link to service and no current disability attributable to service.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disability was found to be noncompensably disabling from June 30, 2003 to November 15, 2005 and 10 percent disabling since November 16, 2005. The Board denied the claims for increased evaluations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation ratings, finding no current chronic left knee disability or compensable shoulder or thumb conditions. The onychomycosis of both feet was also not found to warrant a compensable rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and back disabilities, as well as his claims for diabetes mellitus and a right shoulder disability. The RO previously denied reopening these claims in May 2000 without new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and an increased rating for his lumbar spine disorder, finding no current diagnosis of either condition and insufficient evidence to support the claims.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further development of the evidence.

The veteran's service-connected knee disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling from November 14, 2000 to April 12, 2005 and 20 percent disabling since April 13, 2005. The Board found that the current ratings are appropriate based on the clinical findings.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for a scar as a residual of a laceration of the right knee, finding that the evidence does not meet any criterion for a compensable evaluation under either the old or new criteria.

The Board is reopening the claim for service connection for residuals of a back injury based on receipt of new and material evidence. The claims for right ankle, right knee, and hip conditions are remanded to the RO for further development.