Knee decisions — 2002

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, diagnosed as arthralgia. The cervical spine and right knee disabilities are denied.

The Board has granted a higher 20 percent rating for the service-connected right knee disability, effective January 13, 1992. The veteran's claim for secondary service connection for a psychiatric disorder was denied.

The Board has determined that the earliest date of receipt for the veteran's increased rating claim is July 17, 1996. The effective date for a separate, compensable (10%) rating for service-connected scars, residual of right knee ACL reconstruction, is March 6, 2001.

The Board finds that the veteran's right and left knee meniscal diseases are currently rated at 20 percent each, but do not warrant a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities are service-connected. The ratings for these conditions have not been addressed in this decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, finding no evidence of in-service etiology and insufficient medical opinion to support secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability warrants a 20 percent evaluation from June 1, 1998. The previous evaluations of 30 percent (from January 1, 1998 to May 31, 1998) and 20 percent (prior to January 1, 1998) are maintained.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder and a right knee disorder, finding no evidence linking current conditions to service.

The Board denied increased evaluations for the veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on functional impairment or arthritis.

The veteran's claim for retroactive payment of VA clothing allowance benefits was denied as no formal claim was received prior to February 1994.

The veteran's appeal for an increased rating for post-operative residuals of a second total right knee arthroplasty has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board granted service connection for right knee chondromalacia and bilateral shoulder degenerative joint disease, but denied service connection for sinusitis.

The Board found that the veteran's death was caused by improper and inadequate medical care during his February 1995 VA hospitalization, resulting in a grant of dependency and indemnity compensation.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of a chip fracture of the right knee are currently rated as non-compensably disabling.

The Board has granted an increased rating for the veteran's right knee injury, currently rated at 10 percent. The initial disability rating for arthritis of the right knee remains unchanged.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder, but denied service connection for low back, ulcer, right shoulder, cervical spine, and psychiatric disorders. A noncompensable evaluation was assigned for tinnitus prior to June 10, 1999.

The veteran's claim for nonservice-connected burial benefits was denied because there was insufficient evidence to show he would have been entitled to compensation or pension at the time of his death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, and low back disorders. The veteran is also not entitled to a TDIU rating due to his service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB).

The VA treatment did not cause or worsen the veteran's low back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a disorder of the knees, a stomach disorder, acute appendicitis, an eye disorder, and headaches. The evidence did not support these claims.