The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disorder was not incurred or aggravated by service, and is not caused or made worse by his service-connected left knee chondromalacia or left hip disorder. The left knee disorder does not present disability significantly distinct from any associated with chondromalacia of the left knee. The left hip disorder is manifested by degenerative joint disease producing pain, which more nearly approximates a left femur impairment with associated malunion and slight or moderate hip disability, than a left femur impairment with associated malunion and marked hip disability. The veteran's left hip disorder does not present limitation of flexion, extension, abduction, or adduction.

The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence is against the claims for service connection for a right knee disorder either on a direct basis or as secondary to or aggravated by a service-connected disorder, and therefore, the benefit of the doubt doctrine does not apply.

Claimed conditions

{"condition_name":"Right Knee Disorder"}, {"condition_name":"Left Knee Chondromalacia Patella"}, {"condition_name":"Left Hip Disorder"}

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

10%

Decision date

February 17, 2006

Citation

0604726