Knee decisions — 2009

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right knee disability was granted, and his claim for a spinal disability (cervical and thoracic spine) was reopened.

The Veteran's service-connected chondromalacia of the right and left knees, with degenerative arthritis, were rated at 10 percent each due to pain, crepitus, tenderness, and limited motion. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and adjudication of the issue of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee, including secondary to service-connected residuals of left knee strain, status post cartilage removal.

The claim for service connection for residuals of bilateral knee injury was reopened, but the appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for schizophrenia is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and a right knee condition, as the pre-existing conditions did not worsen during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for a left hip disorder and a right knee disorder, finding no evidence that the Veteran's pre-existing conditions were aggravated by military service or that his current disabilities are related to his active service.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining additional evidence of treatment and a medical opinion regarding direct service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's service-connected low back pain with herniated disc L4-5 level with degenerative changes was rated at 40 percent, and a separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy involving the right lower extremity was granted. The claim to reopen service connection for a right knee condition was successful.

The appeal is remanded for another VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability.

The appeal was remanded to obtain additional evidence, including private treatment records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating, reopening of service connection for gastritis, hiatal hernia, and GERD, fatigue, a right knee disorder, and a left knee disorder as secondary to his service-connected back disability.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were remanded to provide the veteran with VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, bilateral hip, bilateral knee, and bilateral foot disabilities as there was no evidence of a chronic condition during active service or within one year of separation from active service, and no evidence that these conditions are otherwise related to his active service.

The evidence of record is insufficient to show that the Veteran has a chronic right knee disorder.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for right knee and right ankle disabilities as there was no evidence to support a finding that these conditions were related to active service.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development, including rescheduling the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Veteran failed to timely perfect an appeal as to the claims for service connection, and therefore the Board has no jurisdiction to review these issues.

The appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for a right knee disability as secondary to service connected residuals of a right calf shell fragment wound was denied because the evidence received since the October 1988 rating decision did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for chronic osteochondral defect with pain, right knee.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, hypertension, and coronary artery disease as there was no evidence of these conditions being incurred in or aggravated by active military service.