Knee decisions — 2002

The Board denied a claim for an increased evaluation for bilateral arthritis of the knees, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability, post-total knee replacement surgery, warrants a 60 percent rating based on severe painful motion and weakness.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disorder and bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of a nexus to service or service-connected conditions.

The veteran's appeal on the issue of service connection for a left knee disorder secondary to his service-connected disability of subtrochanteric fracture, left femur, or peroneal nerve deficit is dismissed as moot due to the RO's recharacterization and grant of service connection. The separate evaluation issue remains pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the right ankle, both knees, and back are reasonably shown to have been caused by his service-connected left ankle sprain with hypertrophic changes.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the service-connected right knee injury residuals, finding that the current 20% rating adequately compensates the veteran's complaints of pain and range of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current right knee disability related to his active service and thus, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that there is no current disability and thus no basis for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for a right knee contusion was denied as he failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board found that the veteran's VA compensation benefits were properly reduced due to his election to receive FECA benefits for his right knee disability, and denied the claim based on application of the law.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for post-operative osteochondritis dissecans of the left knee, finding that the current 10 percent evaluation adequately reflects the severity of his disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral knee disability and PTSD were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The veteran's statutory period of eligibility for vocational rehabilitation under Chapter 31 has expired, and the criteria for extension of that period for purposes of retroactive induction into a vocational rehabilitation training program for payment of a Juris Doctor degree are not met.

The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities, including right knee degenerative arthritis, cervical and lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative joint disease, tension headaches, bilateral hearing loss, hemorrhoids, and alcohol dependence, do not render him unemployable due to his back and neck problems. His combined evaluation is 30 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there was no objective evidence of an in-service injury or disease and that any current left knee disorder is not related to military service.

The veteran's right knee disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, the maximum schedular evaluation for severe right knee ligament instability. The evidence does not support a higher rating as there is no limitation of motion or ankylosis that would warrant such a rating.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for various service-connected conditions have been granted, with the highest rating of 20 percent assigned for his left shoulder disability.

The Board has granted a 40 percent disability evaluation for the appellant's left knee disability, effective from January 31, 2002. The compensable rating for residuals of tonsillectomy remains unchanged.

The Board denied a higher evaluation for iliotibial band syndrome of the left knee, currently rated at 10 percent.