Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a travel board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge. The case will then be returned to the Board.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as a low back disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability and arthritis are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition. The Board also found no evidence of left or right leg radiculopathy.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his right knee disability.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for back, left knee, feet, and left ear disabilities but denied reopening of the claim for service connection for a left ear disability. The effective date for PTSD is set at September 29, 2003.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his request for withdrawal of the appeal with regard to the claims for service connection for a left knee disability and a right shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient analysis in a previous VA examination.

The Board has granted petitions to reopen final disallowed claims for service connection for hiatal hernia, residuals of an eye injury, peptic ulcer disease, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, disabilities of the left leg and knee, and a psychiatric disorder. However, these claims remain denied as there is no evidence that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.,The Veteran's hiatal hernia first manifested after service and is not related to his time in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's multi-joint arthritis involving multiple joints, including right knee, right ankle, right hip, left hip, cervical spine, and lumbosacral spine is related to service. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, Social Security Administration (SSA) records, and a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraine headaches, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder are related to his period of active service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, effective June 25, 2003. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability is due to an injury sustained during his period of active service, and therefore grants service connection for residuals of a right knee injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left and right knee disorders are not related to his military service, while his back disorder is denied due to lack of evidence. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected shell fragment wound scar of the left knee does not result in any functional limitation and is therefore not entitled to a compensable evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability is not related to his in-service football injury, and thus denied service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and are not proximately due to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was denied as his left knee disorders, standing alone, do not render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule him for a VA examination to determine if his left knee disorder is related to service. The Veteran also requested an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, which the RO/AMC will address in a statement of the case.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by pain and occasional giving way but with no instability, has been rated at 20 percent since December 1986. The current evidence does not support a higher rating or separate ratings for limitation of motion.