Knee decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence linking the veteran's current left knee disability, including osteoarthritis, to service. As a result, the claim for service connection for residuals of a left knee injury and osteoarthritis is denied.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development and consideration, including obtaining an orthopedic examination and providing a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board denied a higher initial evaluation for mild varus deformity of the left knee, finding that the veteran's symptoms did not warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current disabilities for the claimed conditions of bilateral knee, ankle, headaches, jaw pain, sinus, foot, and eye. Therefore, service connection is denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling him for VA medical examination of his bilateral knee and foot disabilities. The RO must also notify the veteran about the consequences of failing to report for the examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for his right knee disability, left knee disability, and bilateral pes planus. The denial was based on the veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, and right knee disorder as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbosacral spine disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and chronic vestibulopathy. The claim for service connection for hearing loss was also denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for hemorrhoids and a residual scar from a skin graft of the right malleolus were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in rating for either condition.

The Board found no CUE in the June 1996 and October 1996 RO decisions which assigned a 10 percent rating for residuals of a gunshot wound to the left knee.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic stomach disorder related to the service-connected left ankle disability, and denied entitlement to service connection for the veteran's claimed right knee and right ankle disorders.

The veteran seeks an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected left knee disability. The case is remanded to the RO/AMC for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for a Travel Board hearing and to inform the appellant of his rights associated with the hearing.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee and hypertensive vascular disease, finding that these conditions did not manifest during or as a result of his military service.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and he did not meet the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for right knee disability. The Board also found that the veteran's current right knee condition may have been aggravated by an in-service injury, allowing for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right and left knee disabilities, as well as his claim for a clothing allowance. The RO had previously granted service connection for both knees in July 1982 with noncompensable evaluations.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD and his left knee disabilities do not warrant an increased rating.

The veteran seeks an initial evaluation rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a right leg fracture. The claim is remanded due to the need for additional VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected bronchial asthma, right knee arthralgia, and instability in the right knee. The conditions are rated as 30 percent, 10 percent, and 10 percent disabling respectively under the applicable VA rating criteria.