Knee decisions — 2008

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected left ear hearing loss, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The right shoulder disability claim is not addressed as it does not involve service connection.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for osteochondroma of the left hip, as there was no evidence of ankylosis, flail joint, or fracture with false joint. The veteran's symptoms were limited by pain and did not meet criteria for separate ratings for limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the right knee was not incurred in service and is not related to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various disorders, finding that there is no evidence of such conditions during his active duty or within one year post-service. The Board also found that any current disorders are not related to service.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for instability and subluxation of the left knee, in addition to a separate 10 percent rating for arthritis. The veteran's service-connected low back disability is secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining medical records. The veteran is seeking service connection for various joint disorders.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of a neck disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, or right knee disability. Therefore, service connection for these disabilities is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current right knee, left knee, bilateral hip, or low back condition for which service connection can be granted.

The veteran's increased evaluation for facet syndrome with sclerosis, lumbosacral spine was granted. Service connection for cervical radiculopathy and a left knee condition were denied. The veteran's TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection of right wrist, left wrist, and right knee conditions as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for left ear hearing loss and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, residuals of a low back injury, and bilateral knee condition. The decision also noted that the RO reviewed the claim on de novo basis after initially reviewing it as final.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's right knee disorder, which is secondary to his service-connected left knee degenerative arthritis. The effective date of this grant is June 13, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to new evidence submitted by the veteran.

The Board found no evidence of a right knee disorder or hearing loss that was incurred in service. The veteran's current conditions are not considered to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and requests for additional information from private providers. The veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disorder will be reconsidered.

The Board found that the veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected left knee patellofermoral arthritis, status-post patella realignment for dislocations. The claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left knee patellofermoral arthritis was also denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for right and left total knee replacements, as well as hearing loss and tinnitus. The evidence submitted since the last denial shows that the veteran was exposed to acoustic trauma in combat during his military service.,Service connection is granted for hearing loss and tinnitus, with doubt resolved in favor of the veteran.

The Board found that the veteran's cervical spine disorder and bilateral knee disorders are not related to her service. The lumbar spine disorder was denied, Graves disease was denied, and the claims for reopening were not addressed.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including additional VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral knee disability and the severity of his service-connected trigeminal neuralgia.