Knee decisions — 2010

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss effective March 25, 2008.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current knee and ankle disabilities are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service treatment records show an in-service injury and subsequent surgery resulting in residuals, which are sufficient to grant service connection for residuals of a left knee injury.

The Board has determined that arthritis of the Veteran's right knee is proximately due to his service-connected shell fragment wound of the right thigh.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, manifested by complaints of pain and mild limitation of flexion to at worst 95 degrees, does not warrant a higher evaluation than the current 10 percent rating.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee, which is considered a separate disability from her already service-connected chondromalacia. The Board found that DJD was related to her military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and development of medical records.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his left knee disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent, as there is no compensable limitation of motion or other disabling symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and granted service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed features, but denied his claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for status post operative residuals of a torn cartilage with degenerative joint disease, right knee. The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for sprain of the left foot and ankle was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by pain, swelling, and limited motion, does not warrant a higher rating as the evidence shows that his condition is currently rated at 20 percent for recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen claims for service connection for a low back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, or hypertension. The claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder is denied as there is no competent evidence of an in-service injury related to the current condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims have been granted for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, left cheek cyst excision (residuals), eczema (dry skin), and several musculoskeletal disorders. The initial evaluations assigned are all 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU and are not shown to be unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment due solely to service-connected disability.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for the scar of the right knee and service connection for gastrointestinal disability, finding that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right, left knee disabilities and back disability were not caused or made worse by his service-connected pes cavus with callosities. The fall in 1973 is considered the primary cause of these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is incurred due to active service, and his low back disability is not attributable to service. The claim for a low back disability must be remanded.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, including arthritis with limitation of motion. The claim for service connection for a back disorder was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.