Knee decisions — 2002

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including right shoulder, back, bilateral foot, and right knee disabilities, were not incurred or aggravated by active duty, inactive duty for training, or active duty for training. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board denied all claims for increased evaluations, finding that the veteran's service-connected conditions did not warrant a compensable evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date of February 13, 1996 for his total disability compensation benefits due to a combined service-connected disability rating of 100 percent from that date.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 100% disabling, reflecting total occupational impairment.,The veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10%, with lateral instability and slight flexion limitation due to pain.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of shell fragment wounds to his legs and knees, as well as a compensable rating for residuals of shell fragment wounds to his left foot (2nd and 3rd toes). The decision found that while the veteran sustained injuries in combat during World War II, there was no evidence of SFWs to his legs or knees. However, he has current disability involving his legs and knees as a residual of shrapnel wounds from service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic low back disorder, a low back disability claimed as an undiagnosed illness, musculoskeletal symptoms to include finger numbness and shoulder and neck joint throbbing, and knee pain. The reasons were that there was no evidence of a chronic low back disorder during or after service.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral knee and ankle disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service. The low back disability was characterized as lumbosacral strain, rated at 10 percent, with no additional evaluations granted.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and therefore denied his claim for TDIU.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected internal derangement of the right knee, effective from April 22, 1998, through February 10, 1999.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal, finding that recoupment of his disability compensation benefits to offset his separation pay was proper based on VA law and regulations.

The Board denied entitlement to increased ratings for degenerative joint disease in the left knee and cervical spine, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating based on limitation of motion.

The Board found no evidence of chronic right or left knee disorders during service and denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left knee disability, currently rated as 10 percent disabling, has been denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected degenerative changes of the right knee, effective from June 11, 2001. The original claim was not about service connection but rather a request for increased disability ratings.

The veteran's service-connected low back disability and right knee arthritis are currently rated as 40 percent for the L5-S1 fusion, but his right knee is only rated as non-compensable. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic left knee disability in service and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities warrant separate 10 percent ratings for each knee, considering arthritis with painful motion. The current evidence does not support higher ratings based on instability or other specific criteria.

The veteran's service-connected low back disorder and left knee injury are rated at 10 percent each, with a separate rating for symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage. The RO has granted these ratings.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 30 percent for left knee instability and a separate 10 percent rating for arthritis with limitation of motion, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for residuals of left knee arthrotomy and assigned a separate 10 percent rating for arthritis of the left knee, effective from November 1967.