Knee decisions — 2009

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for gout, bilateral ankle condition, and bilateral knee condition as secondary to gout due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and his active service.

The Board denied service connection for left hand, bilateral knee, and bilateral hearing disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's low back disorder is found to be secondary to his right femur disability. The higher rating claim for the right femur disability was denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for DDD of the lumbosacral spine was denied, and his claim for an earlier effective date for service connection remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's arthritis of the back, shoulders, hands, and knees is not related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he is capable of working in a sedentary employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed upper respiratory disorder, arthritis of the right arm and knees, and residuals of a left foot injury are not related to service. The preponderance of evidence does not support these claims.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for tinea versicolor, left knee disorder, right elbow disorder, and left elbow disorder have been denied as a matter of law due to his failure to report for the scheduled VA examination. The claim for service connection for these conditions remains pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability is found to preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, and the TDIU claim is granted. The SSB pay recoupment is also granted.

The Veteran's asthma and degenerative joint disease of the right knee have been granted service connection, with an effective date of May 13, 2003. The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations on issues #4 and #5 were withdrawn.

The Veteran's low back, knee, hip, and psychiatric conditions are being remanded for further examination and development. The claims for hepatitis C will also be remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of his shrapnel wound with retained foreign bodies, muscle group XI, left lower leg, with above the knee amputation has been withdrawn by the Veteran's representative.

The Veteran's hypertension is not productive of diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more, or systolic pressure predominantly 200 or more.,Diabetes mellitus, type II and bilateral knee disorder were not shown in service or for many years thereafter; they are not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for traumatic arthritis of the right knee and bilateral hearing loss were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a higher rating based on flexion or extension limitations, as well as no evidence of ankylosis, instability, or cartilage involvement. For hearing loss, the VA examinations did not show any exceptional circumstances warranting extra-schedular consideration.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to adjudication of the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of her medical records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied.,No specific effective date was provided.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, low back disability, hepatitis C, and multiple forehead scars. The Veteran is currently rated at 40% for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.