Knee decisions — 2006

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to the need for additional VA medical records and a new examination.

The Board finds that the veteran's left knee disability, including osteoarthritis and pes bursitis, is more likely due to his own service-connected conditions rather than the July 1992 VA surgery. As such, he does not meet the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran does not currently have disabilities of the neck, low back, right knee, left knee, or right foot. Service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA examinations and the provision of proper VCAA notice.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, currently rated at 20 percent, does not warrant a higher rating due to slight limitation of motion and instability.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the previous denials does not provide a sufficient basis to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorders and back disorders. The claims remain denied.

The veteran's right knee and left knee disabilities have been evaluated based on their range of motion, instability, and other symptoms. The evaluations are denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period.,Service connection for a psychiatric disability has also been denied.

The veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and the provision of proper notice under the VCAA.

The Board denied an extraschedular rating for the veteran's post-operative residuals of a right knee injury, finding that the current schedular evaluations adequately compensate him and no unusual circumstances exist to render impractical the application of the rating criteria.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral knee disability is unrelated to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's right knee disorder as secondary to his service-connected left knee arthroplasty.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder and left shoulder rotator cuff tear status post decompression, finding no evidence of a chronic disability related to service. Service connection was also denied for right knee DJD due to lack of medical records.

The veteran's bilateral knee and low back disabilities are found to be service-connected. The tinea pedis claim is dismissed as the veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the residuals of a Pott's fracture, effective from December 20, 2000. The veteran's low back and left knee disabilities are found to be secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's knee disability, currently rated at 30 percent, does not warrant a higher rating based on current evidence of record.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration, including obtaining medical records from private physicians and the Social Security Administration.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of evidence showing current hearing loss disability, and thus, denied his claim for bilateral hearing loss. The other issues were not addressed as they are related to residual burns from service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the knees and lumbosacral spine, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee patellofemoral syndrome, finding that the evidence did not warrant an evaluation in excess of the currently assigned 10 percent rating.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder due to new and material evidence submitted since the last final denial.