Knee decisions — 2009

The Veteran's depression was not found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected disability. His tinnitus and hearing loss were also denied increased ratings.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material, thus denying the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.,The Veteran's right knee disorder claim was denied as the VA examiner found that any current condition is not likely related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate her claims.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have a chronic right knee disorder in service and her current right knee disorder has not been linked by competent medical evidence to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or aggravation, and that any current conditions were not related to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee condition is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for a left knee disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a right knee disability and an initial compensable evaluation for pseudofolliculitis barbae, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 40 percent for right hip avascular necrosis has been withdrawn. The issues of service connection for left hip disability and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for left knee disability are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as there is no evidence of a GSW, blood in the urine, or soft-tissue sarcoma due to herbicide exposure. The claims for dental trauma and cerebral concussion were previously denied and new and material evidence has not been provided. The remaining claims are also denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims can be decided on their merits.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and need for medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disability, left ear hearing loss, and right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left and right knee disabilities were denied. The claim to reopen a previously denied bilateral hip disability was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service or any exposure to ionizing radiation. As such, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim for service connection for a left knee disability, including as secondary to a right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling of VA examinations and obtaining worker's compensation records.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his left above-the-knee amputation was granted, with a rating of 60 percent effective from September 1, 2007.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of service connection based on direct evidence.

The Board is remanding the case to the RO for further development and readjudication in compliance with directives specified by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for right knee arthritis effective February 24, 1999. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date was denied as the evidence did not show that his arthritis existed in the one year prior to filing his claim for increase.