Knee Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current knee conditions and his time in military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected left knee injury does not warrant an increased rating as it did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for deep vein thrombosis in his right leg and increased ratings for his service-connected chondromalacia of both knees. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to active service.

The Veteran's degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine is rated at 40 percent effective June 30, 2003.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is rated at 10 percent effective June 30, 2003.,The Veteran's DJD of the bilateral knees is rated at 20 percent each effective June 30, 2003.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee condition, with arthrotomy and meniscectomy, is rated at 30 percent for instability. Separate ratings of 10 percent each are assigned for painful limitation of motion. Service connection was granted for the right ankle disability, diabetic neuropathy of both lower extremities, peripheral vascular disease of both lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, and atherosclerotic heart disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left knee and hip disorders due to inadequate examination. The Veteran's claim of reopening a back disorder is granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral knee disability and remanded the case to the RO for further development, including scheduling VA examinations and issuing a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The Veteran's low back disability is also on appeal but not addressed in this decision.

The Board found that the Veteran's left and right knee disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to procedural issues and the need for additional evidence. The claim will be reconsidered with all new information added to the record, including medical records from October 2006 and May 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current low back disorder, right knee disorder, or left knee disorder that is related to his service. The claim for bilateral hearing loss must be denied by operation of law as there are no findings of a right ear hearing disability for VA compensation purposes.,By extending the benefit of doubt, the Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ear sensorineural hearing loss is due to noise exposure during his period of active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of cold injury (frostbite) to his right and left lower extremities, as well as a right knee condition, were denied.,There is no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to his military service.

The Veteran does not have a right knee disability that is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected sacroiliac strain with degenerative disc disease of L4-L5 and radiculitis to both hips.

The Board found that the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities did not begin during service or are related to any incident of service. The Board also determined that his right knee disability is not proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by, a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for lumbar degenerative disc disease, neck pain, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied. Service connection was granted for a distorted left great toenail with an initial evaluation of 0 percent effective January 2006.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor did it become manifest within one year of separation from service. The Board also determined that the disability is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected burn scar of the right leg.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have sciatica of the left lower extremity and finds no evidence to support a finding that any current disability is related to service or a service-connected condition. As such, the claim for service connection for sciatica of the left lower extremity is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee muscle injury, post-operative, results in no more than a slight impairment and does not warrant an increased disability rating.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an opinion on the cumulative effect of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his employability.