Knee decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee condition was aggravated by his active service, and thus grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left knee injury was granted effective September 15, 1984. This decision is based on the submission of additional service treatment records that were not previously available.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bursitis of the left knee with a history of collateral ligament sprain and iliotibial band syndrome was denied. The evidence showed limited range of motion but no instability or significant disability.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and his claims for increased ratings for chondromalacia of the right knee and left knee have been dismissed.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for a left knee disorder as secondary to his right knee disability. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and could not be presumed to have been so incurred. The VA examiner opined that it was less likely than not caused by his right knee disability, while the treating physician stated that the left knee disability was directly related to the injury of the right knee. As a result, the Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's combined disability rating of 50 percent, effective March 19, 2004, was correctly calculated by the RO. A higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence of a current thoracolumbar spine disorder or right knee disorder, and thus service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for VA financial assistance for an automobile with adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment alone.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for higher evaluations for degenerative arthritis of the left knee and status post fracture of the left humerus, finding that the evidence did not support a rating higher than the current 10% and 20% ratings respectively.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and reopening a previously denied claim were all denied by the RO. The denial of the reopened claim was based on lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's respiratory disability to include COPD and reactive airway disease is related to service. The left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's bipolar-2 disorder is rated at 70 percent, and his knees are each rated at 10 percent. The Veteran has a torn meniscus in both knees which warrants separate ratings of 20 percent for each knee.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA orthopedic examination to determine the nature and etiology of all right knee disorders. The Veteran's claims will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of current back or right knee disabilities, and thus service connection cannot be granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is granted, with an effective date of September 17, 1998 for the election of compensation benefits in lieu of military retired pay. The issue of calculating compensation benefits based on this election remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and a right knee disorder, as well as an increased rating for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with degenerative joint disease (DJD). The Veteran's current conditions are not considered to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records, including a recent MRI of the Veteran's right knee. The claim will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that it did not increase in severity during service and is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected left foot disability.