Knee decisions — 2008

The veteran's current left knee disability is not shown to be related to service or an injury therein; the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that it was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected disability of left foot plantar fascia injury.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied as the evidence did not support higher disability ratings or additional service-connected conditions.

The veteran's left and right knee disabilities do not meet the criteria for higher ratings, and service connection for low back pain was denied.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for left knee, right knee, and right hip disorders.

The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, variously classified, was reopened and granted based on new evidence showing the condition during service. The claims for a low back disability, knee disability, and sleep apnea are being remanded.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and consideration of increased ratings for hypertension, lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease, and arthritis in both knees.

The veteran's discharge for the period of service from December 13, 1989 to November 9, 1993 was considered under other than honorable conditions and is a bar to VA benefits. The claims for service connection for costochondritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), arthritis of the right knee, and left knee disability were denied.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed right knee, right arm, and left hip disabilities as there was no evidence of current disability.

The veteran's right knee disability, arthroscopy with partial right lateral meniscectomy and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, is rated as moderate lateral instability. A separate rating of 10 percent for arthritis of the right knee was granted.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, peripheral neuropathy of the feet, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The claim for an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected left knee disability was denied based on his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations in 2007.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back, left hip, and right knee disorders as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right knee disability is being remanded for further development.

The veteran withdrew the appeal for an increased evaluation of his shrapnel wound scar, left knee.

The veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and service connection were denied as the evidence did not support the claims.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of L5-S1, lateral ligament sprain of the right knee with right hip and leg pain, and pseudofolliculitis barbae as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's active military service.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder, a respiratory condition, and a stomach disorder as the evidence did not support that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The veteran's chondromalacia of the left knee was denied an increased rating as the evidence did not show a worsening or increase in severity that would warrant a higher disability rating.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition, left and right knee conditions, and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded for further development.