Knee decisions — 2008

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine condition and found new and material evidence to support this claim. The other issues on appeal remain pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of the veteran's current disabilities and whether they are related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current right hip disorder and denied her claim for service connection. The issue of service connection for a right shoulder disorder is remanded, as well as the issue of service connection for a right knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development to obtain medical findings regarding his right knee disability and respiratory condition.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.

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

The veteran's claims for service connection for sarcoidosis and a left knee disability, as well as the request for an earlier effective date for right knee disability, were all denied by the Board. The Board found that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The veteran's hepatitis C with liver fibrosis, degenerative disc disease of L4-S1 with spinal stenosis, and degenerative joint disease of the right knee have been granted service connection. However, his claims for higher evaluations are denied.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for the veteran's left hip disability. The claim of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right knee was denied.

The Board has dismissed the appeal regarding an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for degenerative changes of the right ankle. The claim of service connection for a right knee disability was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any current disabilities related to his service, and therefore, he is denied entitlement to service connection for multiple conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's request for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right knee disability from June 1, 2002, to February 10, 2003.

The veteran is seeking service connection for his current degenerative joint disease of the left knee, which he claims was caused by an in-service injury. The VA has not provided a medical examination to determine if this condition is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including a VA examination to determine if service connection can be established for a bilateral knee disability.

The veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, to include as secondary to his service-connected fracture of the right femur, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and an opinion regarding the etiology of his shoulder condition.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a left knee injury, residuals of a shrapnel wound of the right hand, and residuals of a shrapnel wound of the right leg. The veteran's claims were not supported by competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee arthritis and for nonservice-connected pension due to his income exceeding the annual pension rate.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a currently diagnosed upper respiratory infection related to active service and therefore denied service connection for an upper respiratory infection. The case is being remanded for further development regarding the left knee disorder and heart disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left knee as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus and denied a claim for an increased rating for his bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion and addressing the issues of service connection for cause of death and nonservice-connected burial allowance.