Knee decisions — 2014

Service connection is denied for tinnitus, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and bilateral lower extremities. The Veteran's right knee meniscal tear is currently rated 10 percent due to pain, flexion limited to no less than 105 degrees and extension to zero degrees.

The Board has remanded the case due to undeliverable correspondence and needs to resend all pertinent documents to the Veteran's correct address.

The Board denied entitlement to increased ratings for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the severity of his service-connected left knee disability and to ensure compliance with prior remand instructions.

The case is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a formal RO hearing and rescheduling the Veteran's VA examination due to his incarceration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee chondromalacia patella disability is at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by his military service.

The Board found no evidence to support a connection between the Veteran's current left knee disability and his service-connected right knee disability, thus denying service connection for the left knee condition.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for further evidentiary development, including an examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any current bilateral knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder (GERD and gastritis) on the basis that it was incurred in or aggravated by service. The remaining issues of service connection for residuals of malaria, left arm disorders, bilateral leg disorders, psychiatric disorders, and dizziness/hot flashes are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for the residuals of excision of an osteochondroma/exostosis of the right tibia, including atrophy and scar formation. Service connection was also established for bilateral hip arthritis. The Veteran's conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal in August 2014 for all issues listed.

The Veteran withdrew the claim for service connection for reflex sympathetic dystrophy for multiple joints including the right wrist, right elbow, right shoulder, knees, neck, hands, legs, upper back, and lower back. The claims for service connection for a left wrist condition, right hip condition, and sleep apnea were not substantiated by the evidence of record.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities have not resulted in the required functional loss or impairment to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a scheduled hearing. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran is currently receiving the maximum schedular rating for his right index finger disability, which has been rated as 10 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 5229 due to limitation of motion. Service connection was not granted for blurred vision or visual impairment, arthritis of the right wrist, and a left knee disability.

The Board found no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current right knee disability to his service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Board videoconference hearing at the RO. The issues of service connection and ratings for knee disabilities are still pending.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his brain tumor was dismissed due to withdrawal. A separate compensable rating of 10 percent was granted for the left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for left knee osteoarthritis and DDD of the lumbosacral spine are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability caused his current lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and thus grants service connection for this condition.