Knee decisions — 2010

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his service-connected chondromalacia and traumatic arthritis of the left knee was granted. However, his secondary service connection claim for a right knee disability was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of the claimed conditions and insufficient evidence to establish a link between active military service or any other condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records related to his knee disorders.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for a left knee disability due to a burn. The claim is therefore denied.

The Veteran's left knee instability is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5257. The post-operative degenerative joint disease of the left knee remains rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant through his authorized representative.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and right knee disability render him unemployable, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability. The Veteran was assigned a separate 10 percent evaluation for lateral patellar subluxation.

The Veteran's left knee disability was evaluated at 10 percent from December 1, 2006 through October 27, 2008 and at 30 percent beginning on December 1, 2009. The appeal is denied as the criteria for increased evaluations have not been met.

The Veteran's bilateral retropatellar pain syndrome with degenerative changes is currently rated at 10 percent for each knee, effective from March 29, 2005. The claim has been granted.

The Board found no evidence of a current right knee disability and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection were granted, with a 40% disability rating assigned for left knee fusion with muscle atrophy. Service connection was denied for arthritis of the left hand, shoulder, and hip/low back disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for shrapnel wounds to both legs and a higher rating for his left knee disability were denied. His claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted but only retroactively effective from June 18, 2008.

The Veteran's claims for frozen feet, residuals; arthritis (unrelated to bilateral knees or left ankle or foot); and right knee mild osteoarthritis were denied. The claim for a left ankle disability was granted as service connection is possible.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a right knee disability, which he claims began in service and was aggravated by a post-service injury. The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine the relationship between his current right knee condition and his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to new evidence received since the May 2009 Supplemental Statement of the Case.

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

The Board has remanded the claims due to a lack of competent medical evidence showing that any hearing loss, tinnitus, or knee disability is related to active service. The Veteran's Air National Guard records need to be obtained for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The hearing loss claim was not granted as the evidence did not show a compensable level of disability, while the left knee disorder claim resulted in a noncompensable rating due to lack of actual limitation of motion. The low back disorder claim was also denied as new and material evidence had not been received.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and arthritis may not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The claim for tinnitus secondary to hearing loss was denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between the current tinnitus and the service-connected hearing loss.