Knee decisions — 2006

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for asthma, ankle disorder, elbow disorder, knee disorder, and hip disorder. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or undiagnosed illness.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of right hip disability as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability and left knee bipartite patella. The decision is final due to lack of appeal, and new and material evidence has not been received since the last denial.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not submit new and material evidence to reopen his previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a right knee injury.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a left knee disability incurred or aggravated in service, and thus denied his claim for service connection. For PTSD, the Board found that the evidence supports an initial rating of 50 percent since October 29, 1999.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 20 percent for the veteran's left knee disability, which was previously rated at 10 percent.

The Board found no chronic knee disorder in service or within one year post-service, and concluded that the current bilateral knee disability is not related to military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for gunshot wound of the right knee and PTSD, as well as his claim for TDIU, were denied due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. His claim for a compensable rating for scars from the gunshot wound was also denied.

The veteran's total combined rating is currently 60%, which does not meet the threshold requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's current right shoulder, back, left hip, left knee, and right ankle disorders are not related to his service-connected left ankle disability.

The veteran's service-connected right L5-S1 disc herniation with right lumbar radiculopathy is currently rated at 60 percent, effective from September 23, 2002. The veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right knee is currently rated at 40 percent, effective from September 23, 2002.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current bilateral knee disorders, including whether they are related to service or secondary to a service-connected bilateral foot disability. The veteran's claim will be remanded for further development.

The veteran's left knee disorder is service-connected and has been aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. The RO granted entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for the right knee disability from June 2, 2000, to August 24, 2001, and from October 1, 2001, to July 17, 2003. The RO also granted a rating in excess of 30 percent for the right knee disability after July 17, 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and did not address his claims for service connection for tinnitus and degenerative changes of the right knee.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right knee internal derangement with degenerative changes does not warrant an increased rating, and his service-connected residuals of a fracture of the right fifth metacarpal do not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her bilateral knee disabilities were denied by the RO. The Board referred these issues back to the RO with instructions to schedule a VA examination and readjudicate the claims.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss, rash on buttocks, and right knee impairment were not incurred or aggravated by service. The preponderance of evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, desquamation and exfoliating rash (claimed as undiagnosed illness), and myalgias and arthralgias (claimed as joint pains and muscle aches).

The veteran's appeal is denied as his right knee disability does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection for his claimed conditions.

The VA denied increased evaluations for the veteran's postoperative right knee chondromalacia and left knee degenerative joint disease.