Knee decisions — 2002

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and an increased rating for his healed fracture, carpal navicular bone, left wrist with traumatic arthritis. The veteran did not have a current disability related to service or any incident during active duty.

The Board has granted increased disability evaluations for the veteran's service-connected internal derangement of the right and left knees, with a separate evaluation for degenerative joint disease of the left knee prior to August 10, 1998.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for traumatic arthritis of the left knee, status post-medial meniscectomy, total arthroscopic, from March 8, 2000 to November 11, 2000, and from January 1, 2001 to November 30, 2001, was denied.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the veteran's right knee disability, finding that the current limitation of motion does not more nearly approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the left knee was denied due to his failure to report for a VA examination scheduled in conjunction with his appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and the need for additional medical opinions regarding service connection claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain, right knee instability, and degenerative joint disease of the right knee do not warrant evaluations in excess of 20 percent, 10 percent, or any other assigned rating, respectively.

The veteran's left knee disability is currently manifested by pain and slight limitation of motion, but the current evaluation of 10 percent does not adequately reflect this symptomatology.

The Board has granted a 50 percent evaluation for the service-connected traumatic arthritis of the right knee, effective October 8, 1997.

The Board finds that the appellant's pre-existing right knee disorder was not aggravated by his period of active duty for training, and thus service connection is denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected patellofemoral arthrosis of the right and left knees were denied due to his failure to report for scheduled VA medical examinations without good cause.

The veteran's claims for increased rating, pseudofolliculitis barbae, bilateral eye disorder, and residuals of a fracture of the right little finger were denied. The Board found that service connection was established for chondromalacia of the patella, left knee.

The VA denied the veteran's request for an increased disability evaluation for his chronic left knee tendinitis, currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, which was previously denied in March 1970.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including degenerative and rheumatoid arthritis of the knees and spine, bilateral radicular pains due to nerve root compression, flat feet, and an eye disability, all claimed as secondary to his service-connected residuals of a stab wound of the right leg. The decision also denied reopening of his claim for residuals of a stab wound of the left leg.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected traumatic arthritis of the left wrist and right knee, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability and residuals of boils and high fevers, as well as the initial rating for PTSD. The veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently suffer from any low back or knee disabilities that are related to his active military service.

The Board denied service connection for the residuals of a left knee injury, status-post anterior cruciate ligament repair. The veteran's patella tendonitis was rated at 10 percent for both knees, with a noncompensable evaluation assigned for right knee tendonitis as of June 1, 1999.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected left knee disability, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher evaluation.