Knee decisions — 2006

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and proper VCAA notice.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including upper back/shoulder disability, bilateral knee and elbow disabilities, skin disorder of the hands and fingernails, and deformities of the right hand. The decision is based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hepatitis C and degenerative joint disease of the left knee were not incurred or aggravated during active service. The claim for increased rating for the left knee is remanded.

The VA determined that the veteran's right knee condition does not warrant an increased evaluation beyond the current 10 percent rating.

The veteran's claims for service connection of right hip, knee and ankle disorders are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and ensure proper VCAA notification.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee and a lumbar spine disability, including levoscoliosis. The veteran's current conditions are not related to his service or his service-connected right second toe disability.,For the evaluation in excess of 10 percent claim, the evidence did not support an increased rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the veteran, and it will be reviewed again for an increased rating of his left knee disability.

The Board found no current right knee disability and denied the claim of service connection for a right knee disorder, including as secondary to a service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied the increased rating claim for left knee and remanded the right knee issue. The RO has now granted service connection for arthritis of the left knee but did not assign a separate evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his right ankle disability, finding that he already had the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 5271.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not have a low back disorder or left knee disorder in service, and any such disorders are not related to his service-connected left hip disorder. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for arthritis of the right knee, effective from March 31, 2005. The 10 percent evaluation for laxity of the right knee is restored.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left and right knees due to new evidence submitted since the final May 1963 rating decision. The claim is presumed to have existed at the time of entry into service, but no aggravation during service could be established.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee disability, rated at 30 percent, did not warrant a higher evaluation. The total rating claim for individual unemployability due to service-connected disability was also denied as the veteran's single service-connected condition (synovitis of the left knee with arthritis) did not meet the schedular criteria for a total rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a).

The Board denied all claims, finding that the veteran's current conditions do not meet the criteria for a higher rating for his right knee disability and did not establish service connection for left knee or DDD at L4-S1.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a left knee disability and granted it. The low back disability is rated at 20 percent, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board found that the veteran's current knee conditions are not related to his service and denied both claims for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic arthritis of the left knee, finding no current diagnoses or supporting evidence.

The veteran's service-connected above-the-knee amputation has led to secondary shoulder, knee, and hip disabilities. However, there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle sprain and initial compensable evaluations for his service-connected patellofemoral pain syndrome of both knees. The evidence does not support a finding that the veteran currently has any current right ankle sprain or patellofemoral pain syndrome, either knee.