Knee decisions — 2009

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for left knee instability and denied any increase in rating for internal derangement of the left knee status post tibial fracture. The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea is also granted.

The Veteran's left knee arthralgia was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may it be presumed to have been so incurred or due to a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed PTSD, right shoulder and right knee disabilities are not service-connected due to insufficient evidence of inservice stressors.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current bilateral knee disabilities, and further development is needed.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant, resulting in dismissal of the case.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have not met the criteria for increased evaluations beyond the currently assigned ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and a VA physician's opinion regarding the etiology of his disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee and hip disabilities are not related to his service or service-connected bilateral pes planus, and thus denied all claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain Social Security Administration records and to provide a VA examination to address the potential relationship between the Veteran's current back, right knee, and left knee disabilities and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during service, nor are they proximately due to a service-connected disability. The claim for secondary service connection based on bilateral pes planus is also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, diagnosed as chondromalacia with arthritis, was incurred during active duty service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The right knee disability was rated at 10 percent, the neurological impairment of the right upper extremity was not rated higher than 20 percent, and the cervical spine DDD was not rated higher than 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's shell fragment wound scar of the left leg/knee did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as it was not ulcerated, adherent to underlying tissue, deep or unstable, painful on examination, and did not cause any limitation of function.

The Veteran is entitled to special monthly pension based on housebound status due to multiple non-service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease. He also meets the age requirement for this benefit.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient evidence of current disabilities and a need for further development, including VA examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral knee disorder, left ankle disorder, and PTSD. The claim for service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis was previously denied in 1955 and is not currently being reopened.

The Veteran's cause of death was renal failure, but the VA physician will be asked to determine if his service-connected disabilities contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's cervical spine, left shoulder, gout of the feet, and gout of the right knee disabilities were not found to be related to his service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation for epidermophytosis of the bilateral feet or residuals of cellulitis of the left knee, tinnitus was incurred during active military service, there is no current diagnosis of left foot and ankle disability or bilateral hand disability related to active military service, and new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen claims for service connection for a left leg disability including scars and Paget's disease.

The Board has determined that the evidence supports reducing the evaluation for lumbosacral strain from 40 percent to 20 percent, effective March 1, 2007. The Veteran's service-connected bowel disorder is not supported by competent medical evidence and thus denied.