Knee decisions — 2009

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the Veteran's right knee injuries and their relation to service.

The Board has granted service connection for chondromalacia patella of the left knee, PTSD, tinnitus, and IBS. The Veteran's symptoms are linked to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability is not related to service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Codes 5260-5003. The appeal for an increased rating is denied.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the April 2003 RO decision does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating any of the claims for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran did not have a chronic condition during active duty or within one year of separation. The current conditions are deemed unrelated to service.

The Board has determined that a service-connected disability contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death, and therefore grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran is seeking a higher initial evaluation for his service-connected left knee disorder. The RO has assigned an initial 10 percent rating, effective November 1, 2005. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and determine the current severity of the Veteran's left knee disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and early degenerative changes of the left knee as secondary to a service-connected condition. The Veteran's heart condition is not considered service connected.,Service connection was established for PTSD based on credible evidence of an in-service stressor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right knee disorder or left knee disorder that is service-connected. The evidence shows no nexus between any current right or left knee disorders and his period of active service.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder as secondary to the service-connected left knee disability and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The effective dates are set at February 19, 1997.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and leg disabilities, as well as a lower back disability secondary to his service-connected scars from the right knee, are being remanded due to insufficient examination regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted effective dates of September 21, 2005 for the awards of service connection for arthritis of the right knee and left hip.

The Board has granted a 100% rating for schizophrenia and reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for arthritis of the low back, knees, cervical spine, left hip, right femur, left femur, right hand, left hand, right wrist, left wrist, and left shoulder. The Veteran is also entitled to an increased rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae and pes planus.

The Veteran's left knee disability is the result of an injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty during active duty for training, and the Board grants service connection for osteoarthritis of the left knee.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine and lumbar spine disorders, and did not assign a rating for the Veteran's skin disorder (tinea versicolor) as it was found to be less than five percent of his entire body or exposed areas affected.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that there is no medical evidence linking her current condition to her active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of a left inguinal hernia status post repair are likely due to an injury during his period of active duty for training (ADT) in USMCR, and service connection is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for degenerative arthritis of the right knee and left knee strain, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran is seeking higher initial evaluations for her service-connected left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and lumbar strain. The case is being remanded to obtain missing private treatment records, VA medical records, and an updated VA examination.