Knee decisions — 2006

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and a 10 percent disability rating for arthritis of the right knee with limitation of motion. The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee instability was denied.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service, may not be presumed to have been incurred in service, and was not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability. The claims for increased ratings were also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left knee disability is at least as likely as not caused by an injury sustained during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection of right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and low back disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty. The veteran's current disorders are considered 'unknown' in terms of their origin.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected laxity of the left knee does not warrant a rating higher than the currently assigned 10 percent, as there is no evidence of subluxation or instability. The highest applicable diagnostic codes do not apply to this case.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee disorder is not causally or etiologically related to his service-connected right knee disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disability, which was initially granted service connection for postoperative residuals, is currently manifested by moderate functional impairment and does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a VA joints examination to determine the severity of the veteran's right knee disability. The veteran is also notified about how to substantiate his claim for an increased rating.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder and an increased rating for the left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of direct or presumptive service incurrence.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the left knee is proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic left knee disorder during service and denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for varicose vein stripping is granted. The other claims are either denied or pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, high frequency hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, and residuals of prostate cancer. The veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, left shoulder, and right knee were not found to be related to his active duty service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a thoracic spine disability, cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, right hand disability, and bilateral hearing loss disability (including tinnitus). The appeals were not about service connection at all.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and entitlement to dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) as there is no evidence that the veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed to his death.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current manifestations of his right shoulder and left knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding the veteran's current left knee disorder and the need for further examination. The veteran is seeking service connection for a left knee disorder, which may be related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's bilateral knee strain. The issue of service connection for a chronic eye disability is remanded due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have been evaluated as noncompensable. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher evaluation for any of his conditions.