Knee decisions — 2003

The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for the veteran's right knee disorder, as there was no medical record linking it to his military service.

The veteran's request for service connection for a left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has granted an increased evaluation of 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a left femur fracture with internal derangement and degenerative joint disease of the left knee. Separate evaluations have been assigned for instability of the left knee, and service connection has been established for right knee disorder, low back disorder, and left hip disorder as secondary to the service-connected left femur fracture. The veteran's right hip disorder is not considered service connected.

The veteran's claimed disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by his military service, and may not be presumed to have been so incurred.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorder and residuals of cold injury are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including medical examinations.

The veteran seeks service connection for multiple disabilities allegedly incurred in a motor vehicle accident during active duty. The case is being remanded to obtain missing service medical records and conduct further examination.

The veteran's PTSD has been rated at the maximum allowable rating of 70 percent, effective from January 20, 1998. His right knee disability is also rated at the maximum allowable rating of 70 percent for instability and limitation of motion.

The Board found no evidence of a knee injury during service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's internal derangement of the left knee warrants a 10 percent rating, and his arthritis of the left knee also warrants a 10 percent rating.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for the veteran's postoperative traumatic arthritis of the left knee.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder and declined to reopen the claim. The RO increased the evaluation of the right knee disability from noncompensable to 10 percent.

The Board denied claims for service connection for various disabilities, including right knee, elbow, wrist, back of the head, neck, and shoulders. The veteran's claimed conditions were not found to be related to his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for cause of death, DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318(b)(1), and dependents' educational assistance due to lack of evidence showing that the veteran's service-connected left knee disorder caused or contributed substantially and materially to his death from lung cancer.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disability, manifested by pain and some loss of motion with guarding due to anticipation of pain, does not warrant a rating greater than 20 percent.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluation of his left knee disability and service connection for various secondary conditions were denied by the Board.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, finding that they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability is service-connected as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability, and thus grants this claim.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for her service-connected patellofemoral syndrome of the left and right knees.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability with instability warrants a 20 percent evaluation, reflecting moderate subluxation and lateral instability.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.