Knee Board decisions

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as low back and bilateral hip disabilities. The new evidence submitted since the final denial indicates current diagnoses of these conditions, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for lumbago, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of a right knee injury. The claim for diabetes mellitus, type II, was granted with an effective date of May 31, 2006.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new examination and consideration of submitted evidence.

The Board denied reopening the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee and low back disabilities due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's right knee condition is currently rated at 20 percent disabling due to arthritis with limitation of motion. His adjustment disorder with depressed mood has been granted a 30 percent rating effective October 16, 2006. The Board found that the evidence does not support an earlier effective date for the increased rating.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been received to reopen the claim of service connection for degenerative changes of the left knee, but denied the underlying claim as there was no indication that the current disability is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further development of his service connection claims.

The Veteran's Osgood-Schlatter disease of the left knee was not rated compensably before March 22, 2002 and a rating higher than 10 percent from that date was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and arthritis of the left knee were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the old rating criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for knee disorder, sinusitis, and tinnitus. The claim for an initial compensable rating for low back pain with sciatica was also denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's back, knee, and ankle conditions are not related to his active duty service. The claims for these conditions were denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's disability rating for service-connected lumbar strain was not proper, and denied his claims for service connection for left knee disorder and left hip disorder.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various conditions, including hepatitis C, abdominal disability, head injury/concussion, eye injury/abrasion, black widow spider bite, and asbestos exposure-related disabilities. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU were denied. The initial rating of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus with peripheral neuropathy was maintained, and the left knee disability remains noncompensable.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial evaluations were partially granted, with the right knee chondromalacia patella receiving a 20 percent evaluation effective March 20, 2000. The instability of the right knee received a 10 percent evaluation effective September 25, 2008. The depressive disorder was assigned a 30 percent initial evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to June 6, 2003 for initial 30 percent ratings for service-connected bilateral knee disabilities are denied. The claim for an increased rating for the service-connected reactive bone lesion, L1 with neuralgia of the lower extremities is granted as of September 16, 2002.

The Veteran's claim for restoration of a 20 percent disability rating for his service-connected right knee disability was denied. His claim for an increased rating and earlier effective date for the left superficial branch of the radial nerve neuroma/neuritis were also denied.