Knee decisions — 2008

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back and right knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The veteran's claims for PTSD and other conditions were granted, with the presumption of service connection due to his military service in the Southwest Asia theater during the Gulf War.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for right and left knee disabilities, including arthritis and instability, were denied. The RO assigned appropriate disability ratings based on the severity of his symptoms as documented in medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his left knee disorder and service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a current right knee disorder or a relationship between the service-connected left knee disorder and the right knee.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right and left knee chondromalacia do not warrant a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral leg disability, bilateral knee disability, and eye disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his time in service.

The veteran's initial evaluations for his left elbow and right knee disabilities were denied, with the Board finding no evidence of current functional impairment warranting a compensable evaluation.

The rating for internal derangement of the right knee was reduced from 30 percent to 10 percent. The Board has restored the 30 percent rating effective December 1, 2004.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss, as well as service connection for shin splints of both legs and a lower back condition. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and schedule the veteran for an orthopedic examination.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities were evaluated and denied, with no specific effective dates provided.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left knee did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent, as it only limited flexion to 80 degrees with no extension limitation. The issues regarding patellofemoral disease and degenerative joint disease of both knees were addressed under direct service connection criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left ear hearing loss, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board found that there is no competent evidence of current disabilities for the claimed conditions, and thus denied service connection for cervical spine disability, elbow disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral hand disability, and bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left hip trochanteric bursitis and service connection for left knee disability and lumbar spine disability, finding that there was no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's low back disability is related to his service-connected left knee disability, and whether it was caused or aggravated by that condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (depression) but denied his claim for left knee disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that her conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability evaluations under applicable VA rating criteria.

The veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further action due to the severity of his service-connected knee and ankle disabilities, which prevent him from maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and confirming the veteran's alleged stressors.