Knee decisions — 2009

The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus disability, residuals of left knee injury, residuals of left thumb injury, residuals of cervical sprain, and residuals of pseudofolliculitis barbae were not reopened as new and material evidence was not received.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the right knee and patellofemoral pain of the left knee were denied as there was no evidence to support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's service connection for lumbar strain was granted, while the claims for right knee disability and other conditions were denied.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for a back disability and in excess of 10 percent for a right knee disability to obtain additional evidence.

The veteran's service-connected retropatellar pain syndrome of the left knee is not productive of more than slight impairment, and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent is not warranted.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining service medical records and a supplemental opinion regarding the etiology of the veteran's right knee disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, as there was no medical evidence linking her current chronic knee strain to military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected varicose veins, left knee disability, and skin condition are being remanded for additional VA examinations.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for service-connected residuals of a left knee injury with traumatic arthritis was denied, but new and material evidence was found to reopen the claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine. Service connection was granted for DJD of the cervical spine and mixed posttraumatic/migraine headaches.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder bursitis, back pain, chest pain and a left knee condition.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for additional development of evidence.

The veteran's initial ratings for right knee chondromalacia and ligament laxity of the right knee were denied as they did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent disabling for his right knee disability is being remanded to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) for further development and consideration.

The appeal was remanded for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the veteran's left knee condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for right knee arthritis, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service disease or injury and that the current condition was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left knee arthritis.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, right knee disability, and peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating than that already assigned.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee and granted a 30 percent initial rating for bilateral pes planus.

The case is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and review of the veteran's medical records.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of spinal cord, left hip, bilateral knee, right shoulder, right elbow, and left ankle injuries as there was no competent medical evidence indicating that these conditions were causally or etiologically related to the veteran's active service.

The veteran does not have a left knee disability that is attributable to his active military service.