Knee decisions — 2001

The Board denied the veteran's application to reopen his claim of service connection for thrombophlebitis of the left leg, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 30 percent rating for degenerative joint disease of the left knee has been granted.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of a head injury and right knee disability, but further development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to military service.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities are found to render him unable to obtain substantially gainful employment, meeting the schedular criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the veteran's appeal to allow for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a statement of the case (SOC) addressing her left knee condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his service in the Persian Gulf War, and thus does not warrant service connection under the provisions of Chapter 11 of Title 38, United States Code.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for disabilities of the lumbosacral spine and legs and knees, bilaterally. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is pending.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's bilateral pes planus is service-connected, based on evidence showing it first manifested during his active duty.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current left knee disability and denied service connection for migraine headaches. The tension headaches were found to be incurred in service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a below-the-knee amputation of the right leg and degenerative joint disease of the left knee, render him unemployable due to his educational and occupational background.

The Board has granted a rating of 20 percent for the service-connected arthritis of the left knee, effective from the date of the May 1993 decision. The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left knee disability is granted.

The VA determined that the veteran's left knee disability, which is not linked to any specific exposure or presumption, does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right knee disability warrants a 20 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5257, reflecting moderate impairment. The veteran does not meet criteria for higher evaluations based on more severe symptoms or functional limitations.

The Board denied the claim for a temporary total evaluation for convalescence purposes due to treatment of a service-connected left knee disability, finding that none of the factors for such an evaluation were applicable.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for postoperative residuals of the right knee effective from October 1, 1997. The veteran's condition was previously rated at 10 percent prior to this date.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, residuals of frostbite, a back condition, and a left knee condition. The veteran's stomach condition was not found to be proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The claim for an increased rating for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for left knee disability and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a link between current arthritis and an in-service injury.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased rating for temporomandibular joint syndrome is granted, with a rating of 10 percent. The claims for bilateral knee condition and pes planus are addressed in the remand attached to this decision.

The Board finds that the reduction of a 20 percent rating to noncompensable for residuals of a shell fragment injury of the right knee was proper and denies the appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a rating greater than 10 percent for patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee and a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis, finding that the evidence did not support these claims.