Knee decisions — 2001

The Board has determined that the appellant is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and an amputation of one leg. As a result, he meets the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The RO assigned separate 10 percent ratings for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine with degenerative arthrosis and degenerative changes of the left knee, but did not grant any additional benefits.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral knee disorders. The veteran's current disability is considered to be related to his military service.

The veteran's left knee disability is found to be due to his service-connected left hip disability, and thus granted as secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that a 10 percent evaluation is warranted for the partial medial collateral ligament tear of the left knee, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 30 percent for arthritis of the right foot, finding that it meets the criteria for severe degenerative changes with recurrent exacerbations of swelling and pain. The other conditions have been rated based on their respective diagnostic codes.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee and degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, finding no evidence linking these conditions to service. The claim for a chronic stomach disorder was also denied as new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant due to his service-connected disabilities not meeting the criteria for such benefits.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and an increased evaluation for his left knee disability, as well as denying a compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection due to lack of in-service diagnosis or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and an increased evaluation for residuals post-arthrotomy right knee, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The VA found that sinusitis did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, and benign prostatic hypertrophy was also rated as noncompensable.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disorder, post-total knee replacement, warrants a 30 percent evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, which includes arthritis and a history of meniscectomy, does not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent.

The veteran's service-connected traumatic arthritis of the left knee is proximately due to his service-connected fracture residuals of the left tibia and fibula. The RO should evaluate this disability and adjust the veteran's overall evaluation for service-connected disability prior to its adjudication of the TDIU issue.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease and total left knee replacement are secondary to his service-connected right ankle fracture, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for thoracic spine degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis. The issues of entitlement to a compensable rating for thoracic spine degenerative arthritis have been addressed.

The veteran's appeal for higher evaluations for his right knee and right hand disabilities was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for internal derangement, right knee, or a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted increased evaluations for the veteran's left and right knee disabilities, with a 20 percent rating for each.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected chondromalacia of the right knee does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.