Knee decisions — 2008

The veteran's service-connected conditions have not been found to warrant increased ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings for various disabilities, including low back, right elbow, left elbow, right knee, left knee, gastrointestinal disorder, and skin disorder.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that the current conditions are not attributable to active military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate notice provided to the appellant regarding her DIC claim based on a previously service-connected condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding no new and material evidence to reopen his previously denied claims.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the current severity of his foot and knee disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee disability, which was rated as 30 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 5260 (limitation of flexion), did not warrant an increased rating for any period. The evidence showed no severe limitation of motion or instability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings or service connection under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied, with the exception of a 10 percent rating for right knee instability from October 7, 2002, to March 4, 2007.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and adjudicating the claim for service connection for tremors as a separate issue from anxiety disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for rheumatic polyarthritis of the left knee and service connection for a heart condition, finding that his disability did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's claims for secondary service connection and an increased rating for his left knee disability are being remanded to the agency of original jurisdiction for additional development.

The Board has determined that the appellant is not recognized as the surviving spouse of the veteran for purposes of receiving VA death benefits due to a prior valid marriage.

The Board found no current diagnosis of PTSD and denied the veteran's claim for service connection. The issues of right ear hearing loss, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder were also addressed but are remanded due to lack of proper notice and potential need for additional evidence.

The veteran has withdrawn all of her claims, including those for service connection for various disorders. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board denied a higher rating for arthritis of the left knee and ligamentous instability of the left knee, finding that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of the veteran's conditions.

The VA has determined that the veteran's left knee condition, diagnosed as patellofemoral pain syndrome, does not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent. The right knee disability is rated at 20 percent and there are no compensable ratings for any associated scars.

The veteran's claims for service connection were dismissed due to her death while the appeal was pending.

The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating for either condition, with the exception of the arthritis which was granted a separate 10 percent rating. The post-operative chondromalacia continued to be rated at 20 percent.

The veteran's service-connected chondromalacia of the right and left knees have been evaluated at 10 percent each, with no additional disability found.,Service connection for traumatic arthritis has not been established.