Knee decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability is not related to his active service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee patellofemoral syndrome and left shoulder tendinitis, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, chronic bronchitis and right knee disability, were not incurred or aggravated during service. The Board found no evidence of continuing problems with these conditions for many years after service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of staged ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (Bipolar Disorder) and a higher initial rating for degenerative joint disease of the left knee.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right knee conditions.

The Board denied service connection for multifaceted joint pain and declined to reopen the claim of service connection for a right knee disability. The veteran's claims were based on his self-reported symptoms, but there was no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability warrants a 20 percent evaluation, and service connection for her back condition is granted as secondary to her left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability is manifested by symptomatology including pain, soreness, stiffness, give-way, and fatigability equivalent to nonunion of the tibia and fibula. The medical evidence does not include ankylosis or limitation of extension of the knee to 45 degrees, nor demonstrate that separate ratings for limitation of knee extension and flexion would result in a combined rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, bowel and anxiety disorders (claimed as ulcerative colitis with mild anxiety state), right total knee arthroplasty, traumatic arthritis of the right knee, bilateral eye condition, and TDIU. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim for bowel and anxiety disorders.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disability, increased evaluations for his right and left knee disabilities, and an initial evaluation higher than 10 percent for traumatic arthritis of the left knee. The RO granted service connection for traumatic arthritis of the left knee with limitation of motion but assigned a 10 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities have been denied. The current disability ratings are considered appropriate.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the service-connected residuals of a right medial meniscectomy, effective from the date of the decision. The ratings for the service-connected chondromalacia of the right knee with degenerative arthritis and left knee with degenerative arthritis remain at 20 percent and 10 percent respectively.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disability is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected left knee disability, and thus denied his claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an extra schedular rating for his right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization due to his knee condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and left knee disorder, finding no competent evidence linking these conditions to his active service. The claim for residuals of frostbite of the ears was granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, right knee, and right index finger disabilities due to a lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for PTSD, a right knee disorder, and a tooth disorder. The veteran's current diagnoses are noted but do not establish a link between his military service and these conditions.