Knee decisions — 2002

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability warrants a rating of 30 percent from June 19, 1997 to January 20, 1999, 20 percent from April 1, 1999 to February 28, 2002, and noncompensable since March 1, 2002.

The Board found that the appellant's injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident on August 12, 1967 were not incurred in the line of duty and therefore denied service connection for residuals of those injuries.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and disability compensation for patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee, finding that no such claim was filed within one year after separation from active duty.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current left or right knee disorders related to her service, and thus denied her claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral knee disabilities are a result of his continuous training as a parachutist while on active duty, and thus service connection is granted.

The VA has granted increased evaluations of 10 percent for right and left knee disabilities, effective December 8, 2001. The veteran's conditions are rated under the criteria for patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability warranted a higher rating prior to his total knee replacement, but not following the surgery.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected left femur fracture residuals is being remanded due to the need to adjudicate a request to reopen claims for service connection for left knee and left hip disorders, which are inextricably intertwined with the current claim. The VA examiner's report regarding the relationship between the veteran's left knee and hip conditions and his service-connected left femur fracture needs clarification.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for pes planus and also denied secondary service connection for bilateral knee arthritis, status post bilateral knee replacements; bilateral ankle disorders, including arthritis; and arthritis of the feet, hips, back and arms as secondary to pes planus.

The Board has granted an evaluation of 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected right knee disability, effective from the date of his original claim in May 1995.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lumbar spine, bilateral hips, and right knee disorders are not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability. The evaluations for carpal tunnel syndrome fracture of the wrist with carpal tunnel syndrome and fracture of the wrist with degenerative arthritis have also been denied.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the knees, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service and could not be presumed to have been incurred due to a lack of evidence showing such an injury during service.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent disabling, and he has additional disabilities that independently rate at 60 percent or more. He is not in need of regular aid and attendance but is substantially confined to his dwelling due to multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected left knee strain with spurring, effective from May 2001. The arthritis is separately rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated during active service. The Board denied the claim for a total rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities as his service-connected conditions do not prevent him from engaging in substantial and gainful employment.

The VA has determined that the veteran's right knee disability, which is currently rated at 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 5257 (recurrent subluxation and lateral instability), does not warrant an evaluation in excess of this rating.

The VA has determined that the veteran's right knee disability does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent, as his symptoms do not meet criteria for a more severe evaluation.

The veteran's right knee disability is rated at 30 percent, and his left thigh wound disability remains at 40 percent.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are not of such severity as to preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment, and therefore the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing left knee disability was not aggravated by service and denied his claim for service connection.