Knee decisions — 2006

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and lumbar spine disabilities, finding no evidence of a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there is no medical nexus between his currently diagnosed right knee patellar tendonitis and his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records. The veteran's service connection claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has granted a 20 percent disability rating for postoperative residuals of a right knee injury with instability, effective from the date of the decision. The other issues remain denied.

The Board finds that the veteran's claimed conditions, including right shoulder bursitis, degenerative arthritis of bilateral hips, and degenerative arthritis of bilateral knees, are not related to his military service. The claim for plantar fasciitis of the right foot is also denied.

The Board has determined that proper VCAA notice was not provided and the case must be remanded to provide such notice.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's current left leg and knee disabilities are related to an injury during service.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, hemorrhoids, and tinnitus have been denied. The RO assigned a no percent evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to March 19, 2005 and a 10 percent evaluation as of that date. For the patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, the veteran was granted a 10 percent evaluation effective from March 19, 2005. The RO also assigned a 10 percent evaluation for hemorrhoids and denied an increased evaluation for tinnitus.

The veteran's claims for service connection for pes planus of the left foot, and left knee and hip disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining medical records and providing VCAA notice.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, characterized as arthritis with painful limitation of motion and tenderness but without current ligamentous instability, does not meet the criteria for a higher rating than the currently assigned 20 percent evaluation.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center were not reimbursable due to the availability of a VA facility, and the veteran did not meet all criteria for reimbursement under applicable laws.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. His right ear hearing loss was rated as noncompensable, his Meniere's disease claim was not addressed due to lack of evidence, and he did not have a lung disability or shoulder/knee disabilities related to military service.

The Board has dismissed the right knee claim due to withdrawal. The veteran's service-connected scar of the low back is denied as not meeting criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral knee condition is not related to his military service, including any trauma he may have sustained such as while parachuting. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the veteran's current knee problems are due to service.

The veteran's request for service connection for knee arthritis is being remanded due to the need for further evidentiary development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected tinnitus, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and chronic left knee strain.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected left knee and right knee disabilities do not warrant a higher disability rating as they do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that an effective date earlier than August 15, 2001 for the award of service connection for a right knee disability is not warranted.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral knee disability and granted it. The claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders, as well as increased disability ratings for bilateral varicoceles and hydroceles, temporomandibular joint syndrome (prior to March 9, 2004), and temporomandibular joint syndrome (from March 9, 2004 onwards).