Knee decisions — 2007

The Board finds that the veteran's current irregular heartbeat disability, requiring a pacemaker, is causally related to his active duty service. The sinus drainage issue does not have sufficient evidence to establish service connection.

The veteran's kidney disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that there is no current disability to link to his military service. The claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent for migraine headaches remains pending.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for traumatic hematoma, left knee and a right knee disability based on new evidence submitted since the April 1993 RO decision.,Service connection is granted for the veteran's traumatic hematoma, left knee. Service connection is denied for his right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VCAA notice and further development is required.

The veteran's claims for service connection for knee and ankle disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing proper notice.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for right knee Osgood-Schlatter's disease, finding that there was no increase in disability during service and no evidence of continuity of symptoms from service to the present.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disability, including his medial meniscus tear, is not severe enough to warrant a compensable rating due to its primary association with rheumatoid arthritis.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any bilateral knee disability, including whether it is related to service or a service-connected hip condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current left or right knee disorder and thus service connection for these conditions is denied.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations were denied. The RO granted service connection and a 10 percent evaluation for traumatic degenerative joint disease of the left knee, effective from January 18, 2002.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have diagnosed conditions such as low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, multiple joints arthritis, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, or shin splints. Therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be established.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral knee disability, which may now be considered on its merits.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability is not related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for depression as secondary to the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his knee and hypertension conditions. The rating for post-operative residuals of a meniscectomy of the left knee is increased to 10 percent, and the rating for degenerative joint disease of the right knee remains at noncompensable.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, epistaxis or nosebleeds, skin disease (fungal infection of the feet), sleeplessness or restlessness, urinary tract infections, a temper condition, and joint pain of the shoulders, fingers, and knees. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in service.

The veteran is found to be unemployable due to his nonservice-connected disabilities, including hypertension, anxiety disorder, PTSD, arthritis, foot problems, learning disability, and migraine headaches. The Board finds that the combination of these conditions permanently precludes him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current degenerative joint disease of the bilateral knees and lumbar spine are not related to his service, as there is no evidence of a chronic disability during service or within one year after separation. The VA examiner found that the current diagnoses are more likely due to aging and weight.

The veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his right knee laceration with scar was denied. The claim of service connection for a left knee condition, which had been previously denied in November 1994, remains closed as new and material evidence has not been submitted.