Knee decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have residuals of a right leg injury other than a scar, and his arthritis of the right knee was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board also found no evidence to support a claim for any right ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to unclear connection between his current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral pes planus, rheumatoid arthritis, back problems, and knee problems are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is at least in equipoise with service connection, and thus grants service connection for a left knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining X-ray studies of the Veteran's knee and right thigh areas. The Veteran is also to be scheduled for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any hemorrhoid disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, variously diagnosed as dysthymic disorder, somatoform disorder and PTSD, was incurred during active military service. The residuals of back injury, neck injury, injuries to the left knee, right knee, and right shoulder were also found to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining workers' compensation records and scheduling VA examinations to address the relationship between his current knee and ankle disorders and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for post-traumatic chondromalacia of the left patella and entitlement to an effective date earlier than May 31, 1996 for service connection for a left knee disability were both denied.

The Board has remanded the case to schedule a VA examination for the Veteran's elbow and knee conditions, as it is unclear whether he has these conditions or if they are related to service.

The Veteran's cervical spine and left knee disabilities are found to be related to her service, with the most recent VA examination supporting this finding. The right hip, left arm, and jaw and facial disability claims remain pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee conditions are not service connected, but his lower extremity radiculopathy is related to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of limitation of motion or instability warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's right knee disability is service-connected, while her left knee and wrist disabilities are not.,The Veteran's right wrist disability is service-connected, but her left wrist disability is not.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, right ankle, and right hip disabilities were denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's left knee retropatellar pain syndrome and lumbar strain are rated at 20 percent each, with no higher ratings granted. The Veteran is not entitled to additional disability ratings under the criteria for other related conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral radiculopathy, claimed as a disorder of the knees, legs and hips, is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected lumbosacral strain disability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left knee disability was granted, with a 30% disability rating effective from August 1, 2009. The issue of reopening the right knee disability claim is also addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 10 percent, and he is granted service connection for degenerative joint disease with osteoarthritis and meniscal tear of the left knee. The increased rating claim for the right knee was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee injury and dismissed the appeal regarding bilateral heel spurs.