Knee decisions — 2007

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a neurological disability of the right hand and for higher ratings for bilateral pes planus, major depression, and knee and ankle disabilities.

The veteran's claims for service connection for chronic cough, headaches, fatigue, and joint pain have been partially granted due to presumed undiagnosed illness related to his military service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. The veteran is still seeking service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee meniscectomy, left knee arthritis, and right knee disability have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected gunshot wound to the left posterior thigh and fragmentation wound below the left knee with sciatic nerve impairment have been denied. The RO found that neither condition warranted a rating in excess of the current evaluations.

The Board has denied service connection for a right ankle disability and granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee, but found no current evidence of a low back or vision disability. The veteran's claims are pending.

The veteran's skin disability, low back disability, and right knee disability were not found to be related to service. The claims for increased rating of major depression are also denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, residuals of a disability manifested by passing out during physical training, osteoarthritis of the right knee, and osteoarthritis of the right ankle have been denied. Service connection was granted for hypertension.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain warrants a 10 percent disability evaluation, and his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the left knee does not warrant an initial rating in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and readjudication due to the need for a contemporaneous VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA examination to determine if any current bilateral knee disorder, including osteoarthritis, is related to the veteran's active service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate his right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the appellant's need for regular aid and assistance or housebound status due to service-connected disability. The VA is instructed to request an evaluation from the appellant's nursing facility and obtain all relevant treatment records.

The veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various conditions, as well as reopening of several previously denied claims. The case is being remanded to the RO for additional development and consideration.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and heart disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran is found to be in need of regular aid and attendance due to his disabilities, but lacks the basic requirement for housebound status.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the veteran's claimed anxiety disorder and depression, and denied service connection for these conditions. The Board also found no evidence of a current knee disorder and denied service connection for right and left knee disorders.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability was not caused by his active military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee conditions do not warrant a higher disability rating based on the evidence of record. The current evaluations are considered appropriate for both his status post right knee injury and osteoarthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and new and material evidence for his diabetes mellitus, vision problems, left knee disability, peptic ulcer disease, and respiratory disability. The issues of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and vision problems were deferred due to a stay imposed by VA's Secretary.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's right knee disability with arthritis, finding that the evidence did not warrant a rating in excess of the currently assigned 30 percent.