Knee decisions — 2002

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder as secondary to his service-connected pes planus. The case will be further developed on these issues.

The Board denied a rating greater than noncompensable for cutaneous numbness of the left lateral knee, finding that there was no evidence of severe to complete paralysis of the external cutaneous nerve of the thigh.

The Board denied service connection for left knee injury and liver laceration residuals, finding no current disability related to service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right shoulder, right knee, left knee, and left os calcis fracture were denied. The right great toe postoperative ganglion was not evaluated as it did not limit function.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the service-connected left knee disability, which includes traumatic arthritis and minimal limitation of motion. The benefit-of-the-doubt rule was applied in making this decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have arthritis of the right knee, bilateral pes planus and/or residuals of trauma to the right foot, or varicose veins of the right leg as a result of disease or injury during service. The claims are denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee, ankle, hip, and back disabilities as secondary to his service-connected bilateral heel stress fractures.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee injury, which resulted in degenerative joint disease, was incurred during his active service and grants service connection for residuals of a left knee injury.

The VA has determined that the veteran's right knee disability warrants a 30 percent rating, effective from when his temporary total rating was granted in March 1995.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right total knee replacement and lumbosacral spine arthritis and disc disease are service-connected due to aggravation of pre-existing conditions.

The Board granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the veteran's status postoperative right knee injury and a separate 10 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the right knee, both effective from May 6, 1996.

The Board has granted increased disability evaluations for gastroesophageal reflux disease, left shoulder disability, and retropatellar pain syndrome of the right knee. The veteran's retropatellar pain syndrome of the left knee is not rated as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left leg disability, including arthritis of the knee and ankle, is not related to his service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that any current disorder is in any manner related to an injury sustained during service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, shoulder, eye, foot, and knee disorders due to a lack of current evidence demonstrating these conditions.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a right knee injury, finding that his in-service right knee injury is related to his current condition.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The initial rating of 10 percent for left knee arthritis was granted effective June 23, 1997.

The Board found that the veteran's postoperative residuals of a right knee injury with osteochondritis and degenerative arthritis warrant a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Codes 5010-5258, effective from November 1998. Additionally, a separate 10 percent rating is warranted for painful and limited motion of the knee.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disorders, finding that the conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings based on the severity of his symptoms.

The Board found that the criteria for reducing the veteran's disability evaluation from 10 percent to a noncompensable evaluation were met at the time of the decision, effective May 1, 1999.