Knee decisions — 2008

The veteran's left knee scar is not deep and does not cause limited motion, and there is no relationship between the low back disorder and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of a total evaluation based on unemployability due to service-connected disability was denied.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current right knee disability, and there is no evidence of a right knee injury in service or within one year after separation from service.

The appeal was granted for service connection of a left knee disability secondary to the service-connected right knee disability, but denied for a compensable rating for scars of the right thigh and right knee.

The Board remands the case to provide proper VCAA notice in accordance with Kent v. Nicholson, as the previous notice was found to be insufficient.

The Board denied service connection for right hip, knee, and ankle disabilities due to the lack of evidence showing a current disability or a nexus between any such disability and military service.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to active service, while a right knee disorder is not.,The evidence supports the reopening of the claim for a left thumb disorder but does not support service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee arthritis and lumbar paravertebral myositis were denied, with the exception of a 20% rating from November 8, 1999, for the latter condition. The appeal regarding service connection was not timely filed.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disorder, bilateral foot disorder, and an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability were denied. An earlier effective date was granted.

The appeal is remanded for additional development and a VA medical opinion to address the etiology of the veteran's claimed disabilities.

The veteran's left knee disability, internal derangement of the left knee with degenerative arthritis, is not shown to be more than 10 percent disabling based on symptoms of pain and noncompensable limitation of motion.

The Board grants service connection for Reiter's Syndrome, as the evidence reasonably establishes that it is related to gonorrhea diagnosed during service.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for a temporary total evaluation, TDIU, and an increased rating for right knee injury. The claim for service connection for nerve damage of the right knee was denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and sciatic neuropathy of the left lower extremity were denied, as the evidence did not support higher evaluations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims to reopen service connection for pes planus, a throat disability, a right shoulder disability, residuals of a nose bleed, Graves' disease and a knife wound to the left knee as new and material evidence was not received.

The veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for further development.

The veteran's service-connected left knee sprain status post ligament repair disability was granted a 30 percent rating for recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, and the separate 10 percent rating for degenerative joint disease remained unchanged.

The Board denied service connection for disequilibrium, claimed as vertigo; a left knee disability; and a low back disability.

The Board remands the claims for further development and examination.