Knee decisions — 2006

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions are denied as the evidence does not show that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a nose polyp, residuals of a cyst on the left hand, and bilateral knee disabilities. The veteran's fibromyalgia was already service-connected with a 40% rating effective April 1, 2001.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to service, including bilateral hip, knee, ankle, foot disorders and residuals of a head injury. The veteran's headaches were not shown to be related to service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were granted, with a rating of 60% assigned for his right knee disability (status post total right knee replacement).

The veteran's knee disabilities are rated based on instability and arthritis. The forehead bump is not considered a service-connected condition, while the right shoulder and thoracic spine conditions are secondary to his knee disabilities.,Service connection for the forehead lump, right shoulder disorder, and thoracic spine disability cannot be established as they are not found to be related to the veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

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

The veteran sustained injuries in a vehicle accident while traveling home from her VA vocational rehabilitation training. The Board finds that these injuries were not the result of action by VA and therefore denies compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an extra-schedular evaluation for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right knee, finding that there is no evidence showing marked interference with employment due to this condition.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a finding of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right and left knees, as these conditions are not related to active service or any service-connected disability.

The veteran's right knee disabilities, including torn ligaments and cartilage repair with traumatic arthritis, are currently rated at a combined 60 percent. The issues of increased ratings for the residuals of right knee torn ligaments and cartilage repair and traumatic arthritis have been denied as they do not warrant higher schedular ratings.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against finding that hypertension had its onset in service or is related to any incident of service.,The Board also finds that the presumptions found at 38 C.F.R. �� 3.307, 3.309 do not apply.

The Board found that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral knee disorder. The RO previously denied this claim in 1980, finding no aggravation by service and noting pre-existing conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder secondary to the veteran's service-connected residuals of a right ankle fracture. However, there is no evidence of a current right hip disability, and thus service connection for this condition cannot be established.

The veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 20, 2002 for the grant of service connection for instability of the left knee is being remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, a left knee disorder, and a sebaceous cyst on his left eye due to lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of bilateral ankle arthritis or a left knee disorder, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service. As such, his claims for service connection are denied.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the veteran's alleged in-service injury and determined that service connection for his right leg and knee disability is not warranted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including re-adjudication of the claim and consideration of whether separate ratings can be assigned for limitation of motion and instability.

The Board has determined that the case is REMANDED for further development due to inadequate reasons and bases in the previous decision, specifically regarding Muscle Groups XIII and XIV.