Knee decisions — 2001

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The RO requested additional medical records to support the veteran's claims.

The Board has ordered the RO to contact the veteran and ask for specific information regarding his ankle injuries, and also advise him of alternate evidence he can provide. The case will then be reviewed again to determine if new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen his claims for service connection.

The VA determined that the veteran's right knee disability, which includes symptoms such as pain, swelling, popping, and limited motion, warrants a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5257.

The Board has determined that the veteran's arthritis of the feet and knees is related to his in-service exposure to cold weather, specifically frostbite. The claim for service connection was granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, which was previously rated at 10 percent, does not warrant a higher evaluation due to pain and functional loss. The RO continued the 10 percent evaluation in favor of the veteran.

The Board has granted increased ratings of 20% for the veteran's service-connected right and left knee injuries, as well as his fracture of the left clavicle. The injury to his mandible is rated at 10%.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected left knee disabilities and denied retroactive payment of clothing allowance benefits prior to August 1, 1997.

The veteran's TDIU benefits were granted effective June 3, 1996, based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee and low back disability, as well as his request for an increased rating for degenerative joint disease of the right ankle. The decision also found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim for a low back disability.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, back disability, and tinnitus. The claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was also denied. Additionally, the Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen claims for residuals of a neck injury and tinnitus.

The veteran's request for an increased rating for traumatic arthritis of the right knee with post-operative arthroscopy, medial plica syndrome and patella tendinitis was denied. The claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee as secondary to the service-connected right knee condition was also denied.

The Board finds that the veteran's current left knee disability began during his active duty and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's initial rating for chronic low back pain was increased from 10% to 20%, effective July 22, 1997. The claim for an increased rating for arthritis of the left knee remains pending and has not been decided yet. The extraschedular evaluation for residuals of a meniscectomy and anterior cruciate ligament repair was granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability, characterized by osteoarthritis with limitation of motion but without subluxation or lateral instability, warrants a 20 percent rating.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's left knee injury, currently rated at 30 percent. The appeal was not about service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of her service-connected left knee condition is being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disorder due to new and material evidence submitted since the last denial in December 1991. The issue is now before the RO for further consideration.

The VA denied an increased rating for the right knee and left knee disability, but granted initial compensable evaluations for both conditions.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected postoperative residuals of excision of a semi-lunar cartilage, right knee, as his disability was currently manifested by slight effusion, positive Lachman's and drawer's test, crepitus throughout the range of motion, medial and lateral joint line tenderness, painful motion, and X-ray evidence of medial joint line narrowing. The veteran also had arthritic changes in the right knee joint with objective evidence of pain on motion.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left knee disability has been granted, and he is now rated at 60 percent.