Knee decisions — 2006

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a VCAA notice deficiency regarding the assignment of an effective date.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations and because of the lack of relevant medical records.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and left knee disability due to incomplete development of records, including VA outpatient treatment records from Sumter, South Carolina, and medical records from Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The veteran is also scheduled for a VA orthopedic examination and a VA psychiatric examination if necessary.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a right hip disability, right knee disability, or acquired psychiatric disorder that is related to his military service.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected knee disabilities are granted, with a 10 percent rating assigned for each knee since May 5, 2004.

The veteran's right knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to June 20, 2005 and increased to 20 percent thereafter.,For the left knee, a compensable rating was granted from July 22, 2003 to June 19, 2005.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an extension of a temporary total disability rating beyond December 1997 due to post-surgical convalescence following surgery on his left knee, finding that he did not require further convalescence after December 31, 1997.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of right ankle, left ankle, right knee, or left knee disorders. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for the service-connected residuals of fractures of the left ulna, right ankle, femur, and right knee. Service connection for arthritis of the left elbow was granted.

The Board has determined that there is no credible evidence to support the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and arthritis of the knees, back, and left elbow. The preponderance of the evidence does not show these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right and left knee chondromalacia do not warrant evaluations in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's bilateral knee disorder and skin rash were found to be related to his active duty service. The veteran's asbestos exposure claim is pending.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's current left knee disability and his military service, thus denying service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to failure to report for VA examinations, rescheduling of hearing, and submission of new evidence. The veteran's right knee disability may be related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The veteran's claims for PTSD, memory loss, cognitive disorder, headaches, skin rash, and arthritis of the knees were denied as they are not shown to be related to service. The veteran does not have a qualifying chronic disability from undiagnosed illness or a medically unexplained multisymptom illness.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received after the April 2004 supplemental statement of the case and because ongoing medical records need to be obtained.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including scheduling a videoconference hearing at the RO.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for chondromalacia of the left knee, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating based on limitation of motion.