Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability, which includes a lateral meniscectomy and post-traumatic arthritis, was denied as the evidence did not show additional functional loss warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran does not have a chronic bilateral knee disability that was incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability, diagnosed as arthritis, is due to his service-connected bilateral pes planus and left knee disorders. The Veteran's service-connected flat feet are found to be aggravating his knees.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected right knee injury was denied by the Board, as the evidence did not show significant functional loss associated with the knee.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the service-connected right knee scar effective from October 24, 2003. The RO later assigned an earlier effective date of August 16, 2001.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between current knee conditions and service. The Veteran is advised to provide authorization for VA to obtain private medical records from his treatment providers.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral ankle disability. The VA examinations and other evidence do not support a finding of a left knee disability due to service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain missing VA treatment records and a neurological examination for the Veteran's dizziness and related conditions. The claims will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's need for aid and attendance or being housebound is not due to his service-connected conditions, as the need is attributed to a stroke unrelated to his service-connected PTSD, left knee disabilities, and residuals of left mandible fracture. As such, he does not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on these needs.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability rating, service connection, and special monthly compensation are being remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for bilateral knee and hip disorders, finding that new and material evidence has been submitted. The Board also found that these conditions are not related to his service-connected right ankle disorder.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized as chronic patellofemoral syndrome, has been rated at 10 percent since December 2002. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions as a result of his service. His claims for service connection are denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee DJD with residual scars is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied. The scar of the right knee is not painful and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine has not resulted in ankylosis or severe intervertebral disc syndrome, which would warrant a higher rating. The residuals of post-traumatic arthritis of the right knee with history of right medial meniscectomy have been rated as 30 percent disabling since November 1, 2003.

The Board denied an increased disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran appealed these decisions, but the Court vacated them due to deficiencies in the Board's analysis.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Codes 5237-5243. The other conditions have their respective current ratings.

The Veteran's chronic right and left knee arthritis, as well as his chronic right and left ankle arthritis, were all found to have originated during active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability did not originate in service or until years after service, and is not otherwise related to service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.