Knee decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is due to disease or injury incurred in service, and thus grants service connection for chronic right knee pain.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for headaches and a right knee disability, finding that there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disorders, neck injury residuals, and PTSD are related to his military service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TTRs were denied. The Veteran was granted a temporary total rating for right knee disability from February 13, 2004 to May 1, 2004.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed for the issues of arthritis bilateral hands, low back disorder with arthritis, peripheral neuropathy lower extremity, bilateral knee condition secondary to low back problem, and arthritis bilateral rib cage. The claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, and bilateral knee disorder. The Veteran's PTSD remains at a 30 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, as well as failure to establish a direct link between his current conditions and military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's postoperative residuals of a total left knee replacement are currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that this rating is not warranted based on the evidence provided.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and need for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The Veteran's pes planus is also denied as secondary to his right ankle disability.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right index finger condition and denied service connection for his left thumb condition. The claim for hypertension is remanded to allow for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a scar examination.

The Veteran's bilateral knee pain has been attributed to mild degenerative joint disease, which is not related to any injury or condition incurred during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining new and material evidence to reopen his claim of service connection for a back disorder. The AMC/RO will also obtain SSA records, verify the Veteran's claimed stressors related to PTSD, schedule him for VA examinations, and provide him with proper VCAA notice.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the loss of his claims file. The VA needs to rebuild the evidence file and request any additional medical records from the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and re-adjudication of his increased evaluation claim.

The Veteran's depression was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.,Right knee arthritis is not proximately due to or aggravated by the service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar disc disease and right knee disorders.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for a bilateral below the knee leg amputation was denied as there was no intent to file a claim within one year prior to October 28, 2003.