Knee decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining records from Mt. Carmel Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, to determine if the Veteran's preexisting right knee disability was aggravated by his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of reopening his service connection for back and right knee disorders, as well as his claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee disorder. The appeals were based on secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and clarification of medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his current bilateral knee disability was chronically worsened by his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the left knee on a presumptive basis as it is shown to have been manifested within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's left knee has been rated as noncompensable prior to March 24, 2007. Since December 5, 2007, the Veteran is entitled to a 10 percent rating for limited flexion and extension of the left knee.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD. However, all of his remaining claims concerning his neck, back, left leg, right leg, left knee, and tinnitus need to be remanded due to incomplete service records.

The Veteran's preexisting bilateral hearing loss was aggravated by service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. There is no evidence of a chronic ankle or knee disability in the record.

The Board has received notification of the appellant's withdrawal of all issues on appeal and therefore dismisses the appeal.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence linking the Veteran's left knee disability or tinnitus to service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his service and thus denied all of his claims for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disability, left arm fracture, headaches, eye disability, hypertension, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease that would result in these disabilities.

The Veteran's osteomyelitis and bilateral knee disabilities are not service-connected. The Board found no evidence of chronicity in service, and the current conditions are attributed to post-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and need for further development of the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and back disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to obtain or retain employment consistent with his abilities, aptitudes, and interests. The Board has granted vocational rehabilitation benefits for a law degree.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee lateral patellar facet chondrosis and recurrent right knee strain. The claims of entitlement to service connection for a right ankle/right heel disorder and pes planus are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Veteran was granted a 10% rating for internal derangement of the left knee, but his other conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for chondromalacia patella of the left knee. The Veteran's statements regarding continuity of symptoms since service were outweighed by the objective evidence, including negative separation examination and post-service clinical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's fungal dermatitis, left hip disability, and left knee disability are related to her active service. The sinus condition and chronic allergies, as well as the gynecological disorder (cysts and associated scarring), have not been established as being related to her service.

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