Knee decisions — 2006

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of frostbite, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The veteran was not granted an initial compensable rating for his hemorrhoids.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for knee disability and a disability manifested by shortness of breath, finding that there is no link between these conditions and his active military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of multiple joints and a right shoulder disability, but further development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a left knee disability, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a right knee disability and a bilateral foot disability, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected left knee disability does not warrant a combined rating in excess of 20 percent.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for impairment of the right tibia with traumatic arthritis of the right knee was denied. The Board also found that he did not meet the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, arthritis of the right knee, shoulder and bicep disorders, prostate disorder, rib injury, respiratory disorder, and macular cyst. The reasons given are that there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disability, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to July 12, 1999 and for a rating in excess of 30 percent as of January 1, 2001.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his left knee disability, finding that the current 20 percent rating adequately reflects the severity of his symptoms.

The Board granted service connection for the veteran's right knee condition and assigned a 10 percent disability rating. The left knee disability was rated based on slight lateral instability and degenerative arthritis.

The Board found that the appellant's claimed conditions of chondromalacia of the right and left knee, as well as lumbosacral strain with pain, limitation of motion, and x-ray evidence of degenerative disc disease at L2-3 through L5-S1, with spondylosis, were not incurred or aggravated by military service. The Board concluded that there was no credible evidence to support the appellant's claims.

The Board found that the veteran's current left knee complaints, symptoms, findings or diagnoses are not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left knee or left ankle disabilities, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions. The right ankle disability was diagnosed during service but is currently not giving the veteran any problems.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance is denied as he is not legally blind or bedridden, nor does he have any other condition that requires him to be in need of regular aid and attendance.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder and dental condition, finding that the evidence did not establish in-service trauma or combat wounds.

The veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral pes planus and left knee disability was denied. The RO assigned a 10 percent rating for pes planus, effective December 1975, and reclassified the left knee disability to assign separate 20 percent ratings for limitation of flexion and extension after August 4, 2005.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for a separate compensable rating for her right knee disability, finding that it was not productive of recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected knee and wrist disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.