Knee decisions — 2002

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, residuals of right knee arthroscopy, and bilateral shin splints. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were related to active service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for arthritis of his right and left knees, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board denied service connection for chronic lower back strain and left knee disability, as well as a claim for an increased evaluation for post-operative residuals of injury to the right knee. The veteran's claims were based on direct service connection due to lack of current disability evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury and that the current condition is not related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and an effective date prior to December 8, 1986 for his service-connected irritable bowel syndrome. The issues were remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the timing of his service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by peacetime service and denied his claim. The right knee disorder denial from November 1986 is final, as no new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen this claim.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating or service connection for any of his claimed conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for ratings in excess of 50 percent and 60 percent for his service-connected post-operative left knee disability, respectively, prior to July 26, 1999 and since October 1, 2000. The maximum schedular evaluations under applicable diagnostic codes were assigned.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the residuals of a left knee injury, effective from August 16, 2000.

The veteran withdrew his appeal of the left knee disorder claim prior to a final decision.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected bilateral defective hearing and degenerative joint disease of the right knee were denied. The veteran currently has Level I hearing in both ears, consistent with a noncompensable evaluation. His right knee disability is currently productive of moderate impairment, as demonstrated by irregularity in the patellofemoral joint, accompanied by mild to moderate osteoarthrosis and medial joint space narrowing.

The veteran does not have any current disability in his knees, feet, or legs that can be attributed to service. The Board has determined that the veteran's complaints of knee pain are more likely related to overuse rather than a service-connected right shoulder disorder.

The veteran's claims for increased rating, service connection, and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the veteran's scar, right thigh, did not warrant a higher disability evaluation, his right knee impairment was not related to his service-connected scar, and his service-connected disabilities did not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his low back disability, right foot disability, right knee disability, and left thigh and knee disability. The reasons were that the veteran's low back disabilities did not stem from his shell fragment wound residuals, and there was no evidence of a direct relationship between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for right knee and right ankle disabilities, finding no evidence of such conditions during or immediately following active duty. The veteran's current disabilities are attributed to a workplace injury in 1987.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disability due to lack of evidence of current disability, and the failure to report for multiple VA examinations.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating of 10 percent for chondromalacia patella of the left knee, finding that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.

The VA has granted a 10 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected right knee post-operative residuals, which includes arthritis and limited motion. The appeal is not about service connection but rather the propriety of the initial evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected left knee disabilities, finding that the disability did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent for the period from March 4, 1993 to February 9, 1999 and 30 percent for the period starting April 1, 2000.

The Board has found that the veteran's service-connected residuals of left knee injury, status post total knee replacement, do not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent.