Knee decisions — 2006

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbosacral strain, left ankle disability, and left knee disability. The appeals were not about service connection.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for a medical opinion from Dr. C.S., and an examination of the veteran's left knee disorder.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development at the RO level. The issues include seeking service connection and higher ratings for various knee and back conditions.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's appeals for increased ratings on lumbar disc disease, left knee chondromalacia patellae, and right knee chondromalacia patellae as he withdrew his appeal in its entirety.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of low back pain as secondary to his right knee disability and increased ratings for hearing loss and residuals of gun shot wound to the right knee. The evidence did not support a higher rating for any condition.

The Board found no current disabilities for the low back, right knee, or right ankle. The hearing loss was within normal limits. Service connection is denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed disability in service and no medical nexus to service.

The veteran is seeking a higher disability rating for his service-connected right knee disorder, which the Board has decided to remand due to need for further evaluation and consideration of all potentially applicable laws.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of left knee injury and fracture of right 5th metacarpal, finding no evidence to warrant a higher rating based on the functional limitations described.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and an increased rating for chronic lumbar strain. The veteran is not entitled to these benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected conditions, finding that the evidence did not support an increase in any of these evaluations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, low back disability, obesity, right hip disability, left hip disability, and left knee disability. The appeals were based on direct service connection rather than any presumption or secondary service connection.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims of service connection for his left knee, left tibia, abdominal pain, and psychiatric disabilities. The medical records did not show any in-service injuries or conditions that could be linked to these current disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a left knee disorder or tinnitus due to service, and thus denied both claims.

The veteran's claim is being remanded to determine if his above-the-knee right leg amputation was related to or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder and left knee disorder are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year after separation. The examiner opined that the current low back disorder is not related to his service-connected right leg disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of his left foot, right foot, and bilateral knee conditions as secondary to his service-connected back disability. The evidence did not establish a direct link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disorder, which was previously rated at 20 percent, should now be rated at 0 percent due to sustained improvement in his condition.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for a right foot/ankle disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a psychiatric examination and compliance with notice requirements.