Knee decisions — 2000

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a chronic bilateral knee disability, bilateral otitis externa and left otitis media, a left varicocele, and a right-sided pulmonary embolus, tachycardia, and deep venous thrombosis of the left leg as secondary to his service-connected chronic ligament injury of the left ankle.

The veteran's claims for service connection for back and bilateral knee disabilities are not well-grounded, as there is no evidence of current disability.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected postoperative anterior cruciate ligament tear, left knee. The claim for an increased rating for his service-connected postoperative left knee, crepitation/chondromalacia/degenerative joint disease was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or other criteria.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of shell fragment wounds have been rated appropriately, with the right thigh scar receiving a higher rating due to its severity.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for his left knee injury, left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, genitourinary disorder (enlarged prostate), and right hip disorder. The claims were not well-grounded as there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher rating for her left knee disorder, finding that the evidence did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted an increased evaluation to 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected right knee disability, finding that it is characterized by mild instability and limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee strain with degenerative joint disease is proximately due to or the result of a service-connected left knee disability. The claim for entitlement to service connection for right hip strain is not well grounded.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The VA has determined that the current evaluations are appropriate.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and a higher disability rating for his right knee condition. The claim for hearing loss is not well-grounded as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria, while the right knee condition is rated appropriately based on existing evidence.

The veteran's right knee disability is found to be proximately due to his service-connected left knee disability. The left knee disability prior to September 6, 1996, warrants a 10 percent evaluation; from November 1, 1997, it warrants a 30 percent evaluation. The veteran's right foot and left heel disabilities are each assigned a 10 percent evaluation.

The Board found that there was no evidence to support the claim, concluding that the veteran's amputation was not caused by VA treatment and therefore did not meet the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are currently rated at 20 percent each, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected major depression warrants a 50 percent rating, reflecting considerable social and industrial impairment.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence. The right knee disability is granted an increased rating to 40 percent.

The veteran's appeals for higher evaluations and service connection have been withdrawn. The claims for left ankle, right wrist, and allergic rhinitis/sinusitis disabilities are well-grounded.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities for the claimed conditions and denied service connection.

The veteran's claim for service connection for an undiagnosed illness manifested by fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, cold and numbness of the legs below the knees, poor memory, and hair loss with itching and scaling of the scalp due to exposure to ionizing radiation was denied as there is no credible medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of service.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's left knee disability, finding that it is a direct result of his military service.