Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected arthritis of the right and left knees has been evaluated at 10 percent each, effective January 16, 1998. The Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's chondromalacia of the right knee warranted a 10 percent rating, and his medial meniscal tear did not warrant an increased rating.

The Board found no underlying chronic pathology associated with the Veteran's bilateral knee pain and there is no credible evidence of a currently diagnosed bilateral knee disorder manifested by underlying chronic pathology etiologically related to service-connected bilateral pes planus. The Board also found that the Veteran's bilateral knee disorders are not proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for a headache disability and hiccups and muscular twitching of the eyes, finding that new evidence supports these claims. The claim for diabetes mellitus remains denied as there is no objective medical evidence showing it was caused by hypertension.

The Board found no additional disability due to the left total knee arthroplasty and concluded that the Veteran's complaints of pain and numbness were not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or similar fault.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but denied service connection for left elbow disorder, right knee disorder, and tinea cruris.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension and a bilateral knee disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome and bilateral knee condition. The coccygeal pilonidal cyst claim is remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding its etiology.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and a disability of the right lower extremity. However, no new or material evidence was found to support reopening the claim for a skin disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee strain, left knee strain, and lumbosacral strain are aggravated by his service-connected residuals of a right ankle fracture. As such, these conditions are considered secondary to his service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his knee disorders and an audiological evaluation.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for shrapnel wounds of the right knee and granted it, finding that new and material evidence has been received to support the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the evidence does not meet the criteria for establishing service connection in any of the conditions listed.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional evidentiary development, including obtaining service treatment records related to a right knee injury in Korea.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his coronary artery disease, bilateral knee sprain, lumbosacral strain, and right lower extremity radiculopathy were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of the current ratings under applicable VA regulations.

The Veteran withdrew from her appeal all claims except for the claim of increase for panic disorder. The Board dismissed these claims as withdrawn.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder, claimed as a right shoulder disorder, and left knee disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The evidence did not establish a direct relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings for left ankle, left hip, left knee and low back disabilities to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC. The AMC will arrange for a VA compensation examination to reassess the severity of these orthopedic disabilities.

The Board denied reopening of the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of each knee, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen either claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by symptomatic cartilage injury or loss with dislocation and related osteochondral defect of the medial femoral condyle, minimal effusion, pain, and locking, more nearly approximates a 20 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5258.