Knee decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities warrant a 10 percent evaluation each, as well as an increased rating for defective hearing of the left ear. The RO restored these ratings from the date of reduction.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's residuals of a fracture of the left femur/patella, effective September 16, 1993.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected right knee disability, effective from the date of her claim.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations for his left knee and right leg disabilities, finding that the current ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes were appropriate.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disorder due to lack of evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The veteran's right knee disorder is found to be secondary to his already service-connected left knee disorder.,There is insufficient evidence to support the claim for bilateral hearing loss, and it is not well grounded.,Bilateral defective vision is considered a congenital or developmental abnormality and thus does not involve service connection issues.,The veteran's initial rating for his left knee disorder was increased from 0 percent to 10 percent.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations for his left knee internal derangement and right ear defective hearing, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to increased evaluations for his right shoulder and left hand disabilities, as well as service connection for a right hip disorder and a right knee disorder. The evidence did not support granting any of these claims.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further action, including scheduling a personal hearing before a member of the Board at the RO.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is not well grounded.,For the period prior to March 29, 1997, his cervical spine disability was evaluated at 20 percent. From that date onwards, it has been rated at 30 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of ankles, knees and back as secondary to his right flat foot with hallux valgus and arthritis. The issue regarding bilateral hip replacement is remanded.

The Board found no medical evidence linking the veteran's current right knee disability to an in-service injury, and thus denied service connection.

The Board found that the veteran did not submit competent evidence of plausible claims for service connection for her claimed conditions.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 10 percent for chondromalacia patella of the right and left knees, effective from September 8, 1997.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a right knee meniscectomy, 60 percent for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with disc bulge at L3-L4, or 20 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder. The veteran's claim for increased ratings for right ear hearing loss was also denied.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the appellant's residuals of septic arthritis in the left knee and ununited fracture of the left patella, which was previously evaluated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that the claims for secondary service connection for right foot, right knee and right hip disabilities are not well grounded.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the service-connected left knee disability effective June 29, 1992. The decision also establishes that the effective date of this rating should be June 29, 1992, but no earlier.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current back and right knee disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a nexus between his in-service injuries and his present conditions. The claim for residuals of a back injury was denied due to lack of medical evidence linking the current disability to an in-service event. The claim for residuals of a right knee injury was granted based on the presence of a current disability and credible evidence associating it with service.