Knee decisions — 2003

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations of his right knee disability and also found that no timely substantive appeal was received with respect to the issues of service connection for left knee disability or reopening a claim of entitlement to service connection for left knee disability.

The veteran's right knee disability is determined to be a result of the VA surgical treatment in April 1979, and he is granted compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for respiratory disorders, left knee disability, lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability. However, new evidence submitted since previous decisions does not warrant reopening of the claims for other conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to August 7, 1998 for a 10 percent rating for his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have arthritis of the left leg and knee, and therefore cannot establish service connection for this condition as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has denied an increased rating for the veteran's left knee chondromalacia patella and found new and material evidence to have been submitted regarding her back disorder, but did not specify a final decision on either issue.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disability, characterized as 'history of medial collateral ligament strain and anterior cruciate ligament tear, postoperative, with moderately advanced bicompartmental degenerative joint disease and valgus deformity,' is currently productive of complaints of pain and locking, as well as objective clinical findings of instability, crepitus, ten degrees varus in the lower extremity on walking, tenderness, extension to zero degrees, and flexion ranging from 120 to 140 degrees. The criteria for an increased rating for a right knee disability have not been met.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left knee disabilities were denied. The RO found that the current evaluations did not accurately reflect the severity of his symptoms.

The Board found no current medical evidence of the veteran's claimed low back, right elbow, left elbow, and right knee disabilities. Therefore, service connection for these conditions was denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability and granted it, finding that there is sufficient evidence to support the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral knee disability is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, characterized by patellofemoral pain syndrome and mild arthritis, warrants a 10 percent evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left elbow, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The evidence did not show that he met the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left knee disability, finding that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of his condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left knee disability, characterized as patellofemoral stress syndrome, is permanently aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability to a degree of 10 percent over and above the pathology that would be manifest without the effect of the right knee disability. Therefore, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's left knee disorder is not related to his service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's right knee replacement is manifested by intermediate degrees of pain, limitation of motion and functional loss due to pain. The criteria for an increased evaluation of 40 percent disability have been met.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability, characterized by severe arthritis with additional loss of motion due to pain and weakness during flare-ups, warrants a 30 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5261 for limitation of motion on extension of the leg. The veteran's symptoms are more than compensable at the current 20 percent evaluation.

The veteran's right knee disability, including arthrotomy and traumatic arthritis, was evaluated. The rating for the arthrotomy residuals was denied, but a separate rating for instability was granted. The traumatic arthritis received no increase in rating.