Knee decisions — 2008

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for asbestosis and granted it. The claim for service connection for bilateral knee disorder was denied.

The Board denied extraschedular ratings for the veteran's service-connected right knee, left knee and left thumb disabilities.,The RO/Chief Benefits Director found that the veteran's disability picture did not fall outside of the norm and there was no evidence showing marked interference in employment or frequent hospitalizations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various foot, ankle, knee, and back disorders. The evidence did not show that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active duty service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis, warrants a 10 percent rating based on limitation of motion. The disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for higher ratings due to instability or subluxation.

Service connection was not granted for the claimed hip, knee, or thumb disabilities as there is no evidence of a disease or injury in service that led to current disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the hands, knees, and shoulders as there is no competent medical evidence showing a current disability. The claim for tinnitus was granted due to the in-service noise exposure resulting in hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right and left knee disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected ligamentous laxity of the left knee and degenerative arthritis of the left knee, finding that the schedular criteria were not met.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip and knee disabilities as secondary to her service-connected lower back disability. The case is remanded for further development of the record, including obtaining medical records from Dr. K.F., a VA examination by a physician with appropriate expertise, and readjudication.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The VA determined that the veteran's left knee disability, post-total knee replacement, does not warrant a rating higher than 30 percent due to lack of severe weakness or painful motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension, coronary artery disease, and cerebrovascular accident with peripheral vascular disease and bilateral below the knee amputations are secondary to his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee injury, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease, warranted a disability rating of 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 5003. The claim for an increased rating was denied.

The veteran's claimed conditions were not found to be related to service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. Service connection was denied for all issues.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective date for his service-connected right knee conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating or an earlier effective date.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a flatfoot deformity of the left foot and an increased rating for his right knee sprain with degenerative changes. The decision found that the residuals of the right knee condition did not warrant a higher than 10 percent evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability was incurred during his period of active service and is granted service connection.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum from the June 2007 VA examiner regarding whether the veteran's right knee disability aggravated his left knee patellofemoral syndrome beyond its natural course.

The Board denied the veteran's claims to reopen his service connection for bilateral knee disorder and low back disorder due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome do not warrant a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.