Knee decisions — 2006

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including proper VCAA notice and VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral knee and back conditions.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD were denied. The right knee disability was granted with evaluations based on instability and arthritis with painful motion. The hypertension claim was not granted in excess of the current 10% evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for housebound status, and thus his claim for special monthly pension due to being housebound is denied.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for a right ankle disability, a right knee disability including arthritis, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD). The appellant did not provide objective evidence of injury in service or current disabilities. There is no medical opinion linking any current conditions to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, bilateral ankle disabilities, and an increased rating for his left knee disability. The veteran did not have current diagnoses of these conditions related to his period of active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's left knee disability, including whether it is secondary to his service-connected fractured left 5th metatarsal disability or aggravated by an incident during inactive duty for training.

The Board has denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities and diabetes mellitus, finding that these conditions are not causally related to or aggravated by the veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure with renal insufficiency, and AICD placement.

The veteran's right and left knee disabilities are rated at 20 percent each, with a separate 10 percent rating for arthritis in both knees.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and right shoulder disorders are denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disorder, headaches, bilateral knee disorders, foot disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder were not incurred or aggravated during qualifying military service.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service, except for his skin disorder which was caused by active military service. The left knee, right great toe, and right shoulder disabilities are presumed to have occurred in service due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee derangement and replacement warrant a 30 percent rating, effective November 1999.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates are being remanded due to the need for further development of evidence. Her service connection claim for hearing loss is also pending.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for a left knee disability is denied as the correct effective date has been assigned.

The Board has determined that the veteran's back disability and bilateral knee degenerative joint disease are related to his active service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has found sufficient new and material evidence to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disorder. The veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease is proximately due to, or aggravated, by his service-connected right knee disability.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not render him unable to obtain or retain employment.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee arthritis, finding no link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee and left ankle disabilities do not warrant increased ratings as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's left knee disability, characterized by chondromalacia and a tender scar, is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The RO has separated the disabilities for separate ratings based on different residuals of the same injury.