Knee decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for any of the claimed knee disabilities. The veteran's current right and left knee disabilities are not etiologically related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee instability and arthritis, finding that he was already receiving the maximum rating possible under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the right knee and a postoperative right knee scar.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for the veteran's left shoulder, right knee, and low back disabilities due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claims for residuals of a brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), arthritis of the hands, and sleep deprivation are denied. The veteran is granted service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae and bilateral knee disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's post-operative residuals of left knee torn meniscus, depression, and hypertension are not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected cold injury residuals of the feet.

The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for the service-connected postoperative residuals of a right total knee replacement, effective June 7, 1999.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee instability is no more than slight in degree and did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The initial noncompensable evaluation was maintained, with a subsequent 10 percent evaluation assigned.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a current diagnosis or discernable disability with respect to his knees, and there is no evidence linking any such disabilities to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities is denied.

Service connection is not granted for any of the veteran's claimed conditions as there is no competent medical evidence showing a current disability or that any such disability was incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected left knee disability does not warrant a combined rating in excess of 30 percent, as there is no evidence showing more than slight instability or subluxation, and limitation of motion does not meet criteria for higher ratings.

The veteran's claims for increased rating of left knee disability and service connection for low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, and PTSD were denied. The Board found that the veteran's left knee condition did not warrant an evaluation greater than the current 10 percent assigned, and his cervical spine disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic condition or aggravation during service, and thus denied the veteran's claims for service connection for scars, blurred vision, sinus disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling an orthopedic examination and providing corrective VCAA notice.

The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD and denied the veteran's claim for service connection. The knee disability issue is remanded for further development.

The veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected right knee disability is being remanded for additional examination and development.

The Board has ordered the VA to attempt to obtain in-service clinical records of treatment for a left knee injury, and then re-adjudicate the claim based on this new evidence.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence showing a current left ankle disability, and the service records do not indicate any in-service left knee or hearing loss. The veteran's claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left knee condition is not related to his service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a medical examination and additional treatment records. The claim will be reconsidered after these are obtained.