Knee decisions — 2008

The Board denied service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, a low back disability, hearing loss, a right knee disability, residuals of a cyst of the right second finger, and residuals of dental trauma as there is no competent medical evidence showing that the veteran currently has any of these disabilities or that they are related to her period of active service.

The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease, which was found to be aggravated by the veteran's service-connected PTSD. The claim for a higher rating for residuals of shell fragment wound to the left knee was denied.

The veteran's claim for a disability rating greater than 10 percent for his left knee disability was denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder, a right knee disorder secondary to his service-connected low back disorder, and rectal bleeding due to an undiagnosed illness.

The veteran is granted a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice-connected disability pension benefits due to his advanced age and current level of disability, which render him permanently unemployable.

The Board remands the claim for a knee examination to determine if any current knee disability is related to service.

The appeal was remanded to obtain additional evidence and re-adjudicate the issues on appeal.

The appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of the claims, including obtaining additional evidence and scheduling an examination.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee, elbow, and thoracolumbar spine disabilities were denied. The initial ratings for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, malaria, and onychomycosis of the bilateral great toenails were also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various disabilities, including migraine headaches, cervical spine, dorsal (thoracic) and lumbar spine, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, right knee, left knee, and left ankle.

The case is remanded for the veteran to be scheduled for a new videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development of evidence regarding the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, degenerative disc disease at L4-S1, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The veteran's left knee disability was rated 30 percent, with a separate 10 percent rating for limitation of flexion. The right knee and lumbar spine disabilities were rated at 20% and 40%, respectively, from April 30, 2007.

The veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right knee warranted a separate 10 percent evaluation since June 9, 2003, but his varus deformity and instability did not warrant increased ratings.

The veteran's degenerative joint disease of the knees was not rated higher than 10 percent, but a separate rating of 10 percent for lateral instability in each knee was granted.

The veteran's lumbar degenerative disc and facet disease was rated at 20 percent, effective from October 19, 2007. The other issues remain pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury, left knee disability, left elbow disability, and psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and PTSD.

The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to address whether the veteran's right knee disability is proximately due to his service-connected left knee disability, and to obtain relevant treatment records from the Nashville VAMC.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for left knee chondromalacia and service connection for tinnitus, but denied an increased rating for right knee chondromalacia.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities do not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim for photosensitivity.