Knee decisions — 2007

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's right and left knee conditions, as well as his multiple lacerations of the left hand. The evidence did not support a higher rating in any of these cases.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his post-operative left foot plantar fibroma is granted, and he was previously assigned a 20% rating. The service connection claim for right knee disorder was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for right knee and hip conditions, as well as her claim for a left hand disorder and depressive disorder. The evidence submitted since the July 1992 denial did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's right knee disability, effective February 18, 2005. The previous evaluations were based on different diagnostic codes and have been superseded by this decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of the veteran's National Guard service and a need for further development, including obtaining medical records and personnel records from his National Guard unit.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected bilateral knee disabilities due to a lack of relevant SSA records and the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal of fourteen service connection issues due to his request for withdrawal. The only remaining issue is tinnitus, which was denied as there is no evidence that it was incurred during service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and left ankle disabilities, finding that there was no direct evidence linking these conditions to his active service. The Board also found that exposure to herbicide agents did not contribute to these disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability is proximately due to or a result of his service-connected right knee disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for IBS and an increased rating for peptic ulcer disease with hiatal hernia due to lack of timely substantive appeal. The claims for increased ratings for bilateral knee chondromalacia were also dismissed as there was no evidence of a compensable disability rating.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing at the Jackson, Mississippi, RO to determine his claim for a disability rating in excess of 60 percent for a right knee disorder.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied across the board due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between his claimed conditions and active duty service.

The Board has denied service connection for left ankle and left foot injuries, as well as a bilateral knee disorder. The veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability and PTSD, as the veteran's periods of active service ended with discharges under other than honorable conditions. The Board found that new evidence submitted since the initial denial supports reopening the claim but still denied both conditions due to dishonorable discharge.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current disabilities of the low back, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and/or left ankle. The VA medical examinations did not find any chronic conditions resulting from service-connected bunion of the right foot. There is no evidence of a current diagnosis for tinea pedis or residuals thereof.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a requested Travel Board hearing not having been scheduled.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's claimed back disability and left leg, hip, and knee disabilities. The case will be returned for further action.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current left knee disability and therefore, service connection for a left knee disability is denied.

The veteran's appeal was denied for various issues including service connection, ratings for knee and depression disabilities, and TDIU. The case is remanded for further development.