Knee decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his right knee were denied. The RO assigned a 10 percent rating for right knee strain and a separate 10 percent rating for right knee medial compartment degenerative changes prior to July 17, 2003. A 20 percent rating was assigned from July 17, 2003.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is causally related to his active military duty.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee DJD and lumbar disc disease at L4-L5 are currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling. The Veteran is granted higher evaluations for her right knee subluxation and lumbar disc disease, with the latter being effective from December 3, 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disorder is not related to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is found to be proximately due to his service-connected bilateral knee disorder, and thus granted as secondary service connection.

The Veteran's appeal involves the increased ratings for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities. The RO has granted separate 10 percent ratings for limitation of extension of the right knee and a separate 10 percent rating for instability of the left knee, both effective March 12, 2009.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a current right foot or bilateral knee disability and there is no evidence of such disabilities in service. As a result, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examination to determine the current nature and extent of her service-connected right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development, including obtaining treatment records from the Texarkana VA Medical Center and readjudicating his claims for increased disability ratings for left leg varicose veins and residuals of a left knee injury with degenerative changes. The issue of total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is also being remanded.

The Board denied all issues related to service connection, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not due to exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, radiation or Gulf War. The initial noncompensable ratings for patellofemoral syndrome of both knees and plantar fasciitis with pes planus, heel spur, callous formation, 3rd and 4th metatarsal head with Morton's neuroma of the second intermetatarsal space were also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left knee disabilities are not related to his military service.,There is no evidence of any chronic knee disability during or within one year after his military service.

The case is being remanded due to the Veteran's request for a video conference hearing. The Regional Office must schedule her for such a hearing at their office.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, finding that there is no current disability related to his military service.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 7, 1998 for the separate evaluation of traumatic arthritis in the left knee. The Veteran's duodenal ulcer is not service-connected and thus does not warrant a rating. The Veteran's instability, marked left knee, is currently rated at 30 percent.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for left knee and low back disorders, but these issues are being REMANDED to obtain additional medical evidence and opinions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, right and left knee disorders are all found to be related to service. The right and left knee disorders were aggravated by subsequent active duty.

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the specified criteria for issuance of a certificate of eligibility.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of cold weather injuries to the bilateral lower extremities was denied as there is no evidence that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his right knee disability and obtaining any outstanding SSA determination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The low back strain and left knee conditions are currently rated at 20% and 10%, respectively, while the right knee condition is not related to service-connected left knee disability.