Knee decisions — 2005

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a direct link between the claimed conditions and military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions, including whether they are related to military service or to a service-connected condition.

The veteran's right and left knee arthritis are found to be service-connected.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and balance problems, finding that these conditions are not related to his service-connected amputation of the left little toe.

The Board found that the veteran's current right knee disability is not related to his military service, including an episode of rheumatic fever during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of right and left knee injuries, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and scheduling a VA orthopedic examination to determine the extent of the veteran's left knee disability. The RO will then review the claims folder based on a de novo review of all pertinent evidence.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the left knee and instability of the left knee, as these conditions are rated under a combined diagnostic code that takes into account both x-ray evidence of degenerative changes and resulting limitation of motion.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disability, including degenerative joint disease and instability, is currently rated at 20 percent for the arthritis and 10 percent for instability. The RO has granted a separate rating for instability but denied an increased rating for the arthritis.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a bilateral knee disability or low back disability, and the veteran's claims for these conditions are denied. The claim for pes planus, bilateral, was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's current bilateral knee disorders are not shown to be related to service, and the Board finds that he did not have a knee injury or disability during his active duty. The claim is denied.

The VA granted service connection for postoperative meniscus tear and degenerative joint disease of the right knee, assigning a 10% disability rating effective December 23, 2003. The veteran's pain and limited range of motion were considered in determining his disability level.

The Board has determined that the RO did not properly evaluate the appellant's disabilities and remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder and right knee disorder are not service-connected as they were either congenital or pre-existing conditions.

The Board denied all issues related to service connection and rating for various knee disabilities, as well as an extension of a convalescent rating. The veteran's claim was based on new evidence that reopened the original claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, residuals of amputation of the right lower extremity below the knee joint, and residuals of amputation of the toes of the left foot. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his active military service.

The Board has granted a higher rating of 10 percent for the veteran's residuals of left knee meniscectomy, finding that his symptoms include pain and limited range of motion. The current 10 percent rating is deemed insufficient to reflect the severity of his disability.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to care for himself or leave the house without assistance, and he is therefore eligible for special monthly compensation on account of need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has decided that further development is needed due to insufficient medical evidence linking the veteran's reported conditions to his military service. The appeal will be returned for this purpose.