Knee decisions — 2009

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including osteoarthritis of the right hip and knee, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease (claimed as a heart disorder), left hip dislocation, ocular hypertension, urethra neuritis, and prostate cancer. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right ankle, right knee, and left knee warrants initial ratings of 20 percent for the right ankle and 10 percent each for the right and left knees since January 31, 2006.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis, lumbar strain, left knee chondromalacia, right knee status post operative arthroscopy, chondromalacia patella, and anxiety disorder are currently evaluated at the 10 percent level. The Board finds that an increased rating is not warranted for any of these conditions.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for asthma, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected right femur and right knee disabilities, as well as a left knee disability prior to June 7, 2005, have been denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support ratings in excess of 20 percent for these conditions.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the appellant's claims of service connection for a left shoulder and left knee disability. The preponderance of the evidence does not show that these disabilities are related to her military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral knee, low back, and bilateral foot disabilities are related to her service. Therefore, these claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's claim for continuation of vocational rehabilitation training was denied as she had already been rehabilitated and employed in an occupation related to her program.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of the claimed conditions, including as secondary to his service-connected adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his left knee disability, as there was no ankylosis or instability noted. Service connection was also denied for chest pain and a boil on the chest due to lack of clear evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to December 27, 2004, for his right knee disabilities are denied as there is no evidence showing an increase in disability within a year prior to January 31, 2005.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, malignant melanoma on the right upper chest and shoulder, headaches, a right index finger cyst/histiocytoma, and an impaired immune system were denied as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bursitis of the left wrist with arthritic erosion, bursitis of the right wrist, bursitis of the knees, and bursitis of the hips are related to service. As such, these claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of various conditions have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the appeal regarding his right wrist disorder. The Board found no evidence of a current sleep disorder and thus denied service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for a medical examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of his claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability was denied as there is no medical evidence linking the current condition to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected right knee conditions did not warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent, as the evidence showed no more than slight instability and painful motion with limited flexion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and larynx disorder. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's left eye disability, including subluxation of the lens, was incurred during active duty service. The claim for a bilateral knee disability has been reopened and granted.