Knee decisions — 2008

The veteran's right knee disabilities, including arthritis and ligament laxity, are currently rated at 10 percent. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or functional loss.

The veteran's service-connected left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, reflecting slight knee disability with no significant limitation of motion or instability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate VCAA notice and to obtain the veteran's personnel file.

The Board found no evidence of a right knee disability in service or until after service, and concluded that the current right knee disorder is not related to service or any service-connected condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left elbow, right leg, right knee, and right foot disorders. The evidence did not establish a direct link between these conditions and military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disorders are related to his service on active duty. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of flat feet, hearing loss, upper back disorder, hip disorder, or knee disorder. As a result, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The veteran's service-connected left knee disabilities have been rated at 10 percent each, and the Board has determined that no higher rating is warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying stressor events.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has decided to remand the veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection due to incomplete evaluations, lack of proper medical evidence, and conflicting opinions. The veteran will be scheduled for an MRI and a VA examination to evaluate her left knee disability and back disorder.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disability and back disability were not incurred or aggravated by service. The examiner concluded that his current disabilities are due to a motor vehicle accident prior to service, with no aggravation during service.

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

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for degenerative joint disease, left knee or arthritis, right wrist. The claim for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist was also denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis or continuity of symptomatology related to the claimed conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable disability rating for patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee and service connection for patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee and a low back disability, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran withdrew his appeal, thus the case is dismissed.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, do not meet the criteria for a TDIU as they are less than 100% combined and do not meet the percentage standards set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). The Board also considered whether there is evidence to warrant referral for consideration of a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis, but finds no such evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a right or left knee disability to account for his subjective complaints of pain, and therefore denied his claim for service connection for bilateral knee pain.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the earliest opportunity.