Knee decisions — 2008

The Board found that the veteran's current left knee disability is not related to his service, specifically the July 1977 injury. The evidence does not show a nexus between the in-service injury and any current condition.

The Board has decided to remand the veteran's claim for a right knee disorder due to the need for additional development of evidence, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the veteran not being afforded a videoconference hearing. The claim for service connection for a right knee condition remains pending.

The veteran is granted increased disability ratings for post-operative residuals of right and left total knee replacements, effective from April 21, 2004, and July 1, 2004 respectively.,Effective dates are assigned for the grant of service connection for hemorrhoids and TDIU.

The veteran requested a temporary 100 percent rating for convalescence for residuals of left knee surgery beyond May 1, 2004. The issue has been withdrawn by the appellant.

The Board has held the case open for submission of new evidence without a waiver, and the RO must re-adjudicate the claim. The veteran's representative was notified that they have 45 days to submit any additional evidence with a waiver.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for her right knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and consideration of diagnostic codes.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative changes in both knees have been granted, with the current disability rating of 10 percent.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at noncompensable, and he does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 based on multiple, noncompensable service-connected disabilities since May 3, 2006.

The Board finds that the veteran's left knee disability does not warrant a rating greater than 10 percent under DC 5010-5260, as her flexion and extension do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has ordered a remand for additional development to determine the relationship between the veteran's current low back and left knee disabilities and his service.

The veteran's low back disability was granted a 40 percent evaluation effective July 1, 2001. The right and left knee disabilities were also granted service connection with initial ratings of 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee conditions and denied his claim for service connection of a low back disorder secondary to his knees.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, a left knee disability, tinea cruris, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus as there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including asbestosis, hypertension, renal failure, irritable bowel syndrome, coronary artery disease, arthritis of the hands, and headaches. The reasons given were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease warranted no more than a 30 percent rating, as his disability did not meet or approximate criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including postoperative residuals of right shoulder separation and secondary conditions. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis or treatment for these claimed conditions.

The veteran's claims for increase in right knee chondromalacia and initial ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for a rating for low back injury is also denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine as secondary to a service-connected gunshot wound to the right foot. However, it was denied on the merits. The veteran's bilateral hip disability and bilateral knee disability were also found not to be related to his service-connected gunshot wound to the right foot.

Service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the bilateral wrists was denied as there is no medical evidence that it is related to military service.,Service connection for a right knee disorder was denied due to lack of current diagnosis in the medical records.