Knee decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including scheduling a VA orthopedic examination for the veteran at a correctional facility due to his incarceration. The case is REMANDED for these actions.

The Board has remanded the case back to the RO for further appropriate consideration due to issues with VCAA compliance and missing service medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, right shoulder disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral foot disability. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various disorders, including right ankle and thigh disorders, low back disorder, left knee and right knee disorders, and left ankle disorder. The reasons were that there was no evidence of current disability or nexus to service.

The VA has determined that the veteran does not have current bilateral knee disabilities or lacerations of the back and left shoulder, which were incurred in service.,No compensable disability ratings are assigned for laceration scars on either hand.

The Board has remanded the claims for increase and service connection due to insufficient evidence. The veteran's claim of service connection for headaches is reopened, but a left knee disability cannot be established as it does not meet the criteria for a current disability.

The veteran's headaches are found to be related to his period of active service.,Service connection is granted for a psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), degenerative joint disease of the ankles, feet, and knees; memory loss; and sleep disorder (each to include as due to an undiagnosed illness).

The veteran's service-connected right fibula fracture and left knee strain are currently rated at the minimum levels. Service connection for lumbar and thoracic strains, as well as left shoulder strain, is granted.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the criteria for a TDIU have been met.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee condition and granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee, finding that the evidence supports a link between the in-service injury and current symptoms.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee replacement and back disability are secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and his right and left knee disabilities are each rated at noncompensable. The subluxation/instability of the left knee was granted a separate 10 percent rating effective from November 22, 2005.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 70 percent disability rating effective May 6, 1999. The evaluation for the left knee disability was not changed as it remained at 10 percent since May 6, 1999. A separate 10 percent evaluation was assigned for left knee degenerative changes since July 23, 2001.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by his active duty service. The appeals for these conditions have been denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, hypertension, and increased ratings for hemorrhoids and blepharitis. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to her military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for initial evaluations of his lumbar strain, right knee disability, residuals of a fracture of the middle finger of the right hand, trochanteric bursitis of the right hip, cubital tunnel syndrome of the right elbow, cubital tunnel syndrome of the left elbow, cluster headaches, and psedudofolliculits barbae (PSB).

The Board has remanded the case for VCAA compliance and issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC). The veteran's claims for service connection for non-cardiac chest pain, left knee strain, and lumbar spine strain are pending.

The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine if the veteran's service-connected right knee disabilities alone prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The case is now REMANDED for further action.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her service-connected mandibular neuropathy and bilateral knee disabilities were denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for any of these conditions.

The VA determined that the veteran's right knee disability, which includes arthritis and instability, does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent.