Knee decisions — 2003

The Board has granted an increased rating for the period prior to March 24, 1998. The case is now remanded to consider whether a separate rating is appropriate for the surgical scar.

The Board is reopening the claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury, including a visual disability, and for a disability of the left ulnar nerve, including post-traumatic numbness of the 4th and 5th digits. Additional development is needed to properly adjudicate these issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the knees resulted from parachute jumping during his military service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, but granted service connection for a psychiatric disability (major depressive disorder) as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine and knee disabilities. The issue of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional left Dupuytren's contractures was also denied.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of tendonitis of the left knee and elbow were denied as they did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation based on current symptoms.

The Board found no evidence of a back or right knee disability in service, and denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury and secondary service connection for a right knee disorder.

The veteran's claim for higher ratings for his service-connected bilateral knee conditions was granted, with the right knee receiving a temporary total disability rating and both knees receiving initial ratings of 20 percent.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the submission of new evidence after a previous decision.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The veteran can request another hearing if he wants one.

The Board has granted an increased rating to 30 percent for the veteran's lateral instability of the left knee, which represents the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 5257. The veteran's degenerative joint disease of the left knee is rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for residuals of malaria and an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his right knee disability, finding no residual disabilities from malaria and noting that the current 10 percent rating is the highest warranted under applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examination and consideration of the propriety of assigning separate ratings for his service-connected right shoulder disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to service connection for residuals of a left knee injury and finds no evidence linking his current depression, hearing loss, or tinnitus to his active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for reopening his right elbow condition claim and for an increased rating of his service-connected arthritis of the left knee. The veteran's current range of motion in the left knee is full, with no associated instability or subluxation.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right knee instability was denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The evidence showed that the condition resulted in no more than mild subluxation or lateral instability, which warranted a 10 percent disability rating.

The veteran's effective dates for increased disability compensation for his service-connected right knee disabilities have been granted as of August 21, 2001.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary and the case is being remanded to the RO for further action.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee disorder, but denied service connection for left knee disorder and migraine headaches.

The veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability that had been rated totally disabling for at least eight years immediately preceding his death.