Knee decisions — 2000

The veteran's left knee disability was evaluated as 10 percent disabling from November 9, 1992 to September 22, 1998.,The veteran's right knee disability was evaluated as 10 percent disabling from November 9, 1992 to September 28, 1998. Beginning on September 29, 1998, the disability was rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the right ankle fracture with traumatic arthritis, but granted a compensable (10%) evaluation for the right knee strain with synovitis as secondary to the service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right and left knee disabilities were incurred during service, thus granting his claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right knee strain with a sebaceous cyst and degenerative arthritis, as well as his left knee degenerative arthritis, are denied. The current ratings of 20% each for both knees remain unchanged.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability. The case is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and readjudication of the claim.

The Board has determined that there was clear and unmistakable error in denying service connection for left knee disability, low back disability, and bilateral shoulder disability. These conditions are now granted.

The veteran's left knee disability is currently manifested by subjective complaints of pain and some giving-away, but objective findings do not support a compensable evaluation.,His service-connected disabilities have not been shown to interfere with normal employability.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine, left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral knee disability is service-connected as it was incurred during his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's disorders of the knees, hips and lumbar spine are not shown to be proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected residuals of shell fragment wounds (SFWs) of the feet. Therefore, the claim for secondary service connection was denied.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected left and right knee disabilities, finding that the available medical evidence was inadequate to resolve these claims.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left knee injury should be remanded to allow for further development, including obtaining missing service medical records and providing the veteran with an orthopedic examination.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the veteran's claims for service connection and a compensable evaluation for his right ankle and knee disabilities, as well as his residuals of osteomyelitis of the right lower leg.

The veteran's right knee disability is rated at 60 percent, the maximum schedular evaluation for chronic total knee replacement residuals.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, characterized as residuals of a partial patellectomy, warrants a 10 percent evaluation.

The veteran's appeal for increased ratings for headaches and a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability was denied. The veteran is currently employed full-time, and there is no evidence of unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for her right knee disability and service connection for migraine headaches. Additional development is needed to support these decisions.

The Board has granted service connection for right wrist and hand arthritis, cervical spine arthritis, and right ear defective hearing. Service connection was also granted for left knee disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder. The veteran's claims for a well-grounded claim of service connection for a left knee disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder are pending.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the right hip, knee, and leg secondary to service-connected disability. The evidence submitted is new and material.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for residuals of a lumbar spine injury and granted it. The claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability was denied.