Knee decisions — 2000

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disorder is not directly related to his service, but it was proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected low back disability.

The veteran's left knee disability, characterized as prosthesis of the left knee with a history of arthritis, is currently rated at 30 percent. The effective date for this rating remains unchanged.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a laceration of the left knee warrant a 30 percent evaluation, effective September 9, 1997.

The Board has remanded the case due to the veteran's request for a personal hearing via video teleconferencing. The RO should schedule this hearing and return the claims folder to the Board after the hearing.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service-connected knee disability aggravates his nonservice-connected depression, and thus grants service connection for depression secondary to service-connected knee disability. The claims for increased evaluations of the knees are also granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, increased disability ratings for right and left knee patellofemoral syndromes, and an increase in disability rating for bilateral iritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her left knee, right and left foot disabilities. The service connection for these conditions was established but not reopened or granted new evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for right shoulder, back, and bilateral knee disabilities due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's right knee disability, characterized by instability and arthritis, is rated at 10 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and tinnitus. The claim for left knee disability was reopened based on new evidence showing current disability.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee disability, characterized by pain and instability, warranted a 20% evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5257 for moderate impairment of the knee. A separate 10% evaluation was assigned for degenerative joint disease.

The veteran's right knee condition is rated at 20 percent, and his bilateral hearing loss is noncompensable. The claim for service connection for vertigo remains denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip pain and tinnitus, finding that his claims were not well-grounded. The claim for a compensable evaluation for bursitis of the left knee was also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is not well grounded due to a lack of competent medical evidence linking his current left knee disability to treatment or surgery at a VA facility.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and a low back disorder, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected right knee disorder. The decision is based on the lack of a timely substantive appeal for the issue of low back disability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disability were denied. The right knee instability claim was not granted, while the arthritis with limitation of motion claim resulted in a noncompensable evaluation. The removal of meniscus claim also received a noncompensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claims of service connection for defective hearing in the left ear, sinusitis, and fractures of the left knee. The claim for increased evaluation for residuals of fracture of the proximal left tibia is granted with a 10% rating, while the claim for increased evaluation for residuals of fracture of the left ankle is also granted with a 10% rating.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the appellant's residuals of a left total knee arthroplasty, currently rated at 30 percent.

The veteran's claim for non-service connected disability pension was denied as he did not present evidence of permanent and total disability.

The veteran's claim for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes was denied as his disabilities do not meet the criteria set forth in VA regulations.