Knee decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed knee disabilities are not related to his military service and thus denied his claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current disabilities of his right or left knee, and therefore cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for left knee strain, postoperative ACL reconstruction, and denied the claim for increased ratings for right knee strain.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the veteran's service-connected disabilities alone make it impossible for him to work.

The Board found that J.E.B. was not permanently incapable of self-support at the age of 18, and thus could not be recognized as a 'helpless child' for VA benefits purposes.

The Board denied a rating higher than 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right knee, finding that the disability met the criteria for a 10 percent rating based on arthritis with noncompensable limitation of motion but with satisfactory evidence of painful motion.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and insufficient VCAA notice. The RO is instructed to obtain missing service treatment records, provide proper VCAA notice, schedule a VA examination for bilateral knee disability, and determine whether PTSD is related to in-service stressors.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left knee disability are not related to his military service. The evidence does not show a nexus between these conditions and his time in active duty.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the veteran for VA examinations to assess his left knee and elbow disabilities.

The veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations of residuals from a right hamstring tear, irritable bowel syndrome with GERD, and right knee ACL reconstruction have been denied. The veteran is currently rated at 10 percent for these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that his conditions did not warrant a higher rating or additional service connection. The right ankle disability was rated at 20 percent, sinusitis with allergic rhinitis was noncompensable, and residuals of second degree right ankle sprain were also rated at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for a comprehensive orthopedic examination to determine if any current disabilities involving the right little finger, right middle and ring fingers, left knee, right knee, or back are causally related to service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and major depression, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected status post fusion for spondylolisthesis, L5-S1, were denied. The Board found no medical evidence linking these conditions to the service-connected condition.

The veteran's low back disability was increased to a 20 percent rating effective March 16, 2007. His bilateral knee disabilities remain at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed right and left knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The veteran does not have a current disability of the wrists, hips, right ankle, shoulders, left knee, or elbows that is related to his military service. He has tinnitus but there is no competent medical evidence linking it to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and initial evaluations for various conditions, finding no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to active service.

The veteran is seeking service connection for a right knee disorder. The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The VA has determined that the veteran's right knee disability, post-total knee arthroplasty, does not warrant a higher evaluation beyond the currently assigned 30 percent rating.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a left knee disorder due to new and material evidence. However, further development is needed as the claim must be remanded for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's pre-existing left knee disorder was aggravated by his military service.