Knee decisions — 2009

The veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, light sensitivity of the eyes, residuals of a neck injury, bilateral wrist disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral foot disability and scars on both shins were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board granted service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for a left shoulder disorder, but denied service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome.

The veteran was granted a 10 percent disability rating for recurrent left patella dislocation, but the Board found that an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for pain and loss of flexion of the left knee is not warranted.

The veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities were granted, while the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hemorrhoids, and for service connection for right and left knee disabilities were denied.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to February 28, 2005.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and increased ratings for duodenal ulcer with hiatal hernia, tendonitis of the hands/wrists, residuals of an injury to the right foot/ankle, and hemorrhoids were denied.

The veteran's degenerative changes of the cervical spine are service-connected.

The veteran's residuals of a laceration of the left knee with skin graft were denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the period prior to August 30, 2002. For the period beginning August 30, 2002, a 30 percent disability evaluation was granted.

The veteran's service-connected knee disabilities preclude him from engaging in employment that includes any tasks other than sedentary work.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, right hip, left hip, and lumbar spine disabilities as secondary to the veteran's service-connected right ankle trauma.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal or aggravating relationship between her right knee condition and her service-connected bilateral ankle disabilities.

The Board determined that the veteran's death was not service-connected and that he did not have a totally disabling service-connected disability or a total disability rating based on unemployability for a continuous period of at least ten years immediately preceding his death.