Knee decisions — 2004

The Board denied a higher evaluation for the veteran's left knee condition, finding that the current 20 percent rating adequately compensates him for his functional loss due to occasional episodic pain and swelling.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU, finding that no formal or informal claims were filed prior to July 20, 1998. The effective date of July 20, 1998 was assigned based on the receipt of a claim for compensation for bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for osteoarthritis of both knees and granted it, finding that new and material evidence has been submitted. The issue of whether the veteran's current arthritis is related to his service-connected disability remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical evidence and arranging for a psychiatric examination. The veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and PTSD rating are pending.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for her left knee injury was granted, but the issue of service connection for a right ankle disorder secondary to her left knee disability remains pending.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the current extent of his service-connected right buttock, leg, ankle, calf, and knee disabilities.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's claimed conditions and his service, leading to denial of all service connection claims.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and the need for further medical examinations.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hip and knee osteoarthritis, concluding that the veteran's current disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right knee disability and left shoulder arthritis due to procedural issues.,The veteran is also being asked to provide any additional evidence related to his claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability was received. As such, the veteran's petition to reopen his claim is granted.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disability, which includes tendonitis and osteophytes with a history of fracture, warrants only a 10 percent rating. The evidence did not support a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative changes of the lumbosacral spine and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has granted a separate, 10 percent evaluation for degenerative arthritis of the right knee since March 4, 1992. The veteran's service-connected traumatic arthritis of the left foot with fractures at the base of the left second, third, and fourth metatarsals is not considered in this decision.

The Board denied an increased rating for left knee instability and granted a 10 percent disability rating for residuals of the left knee arthroscopy, status-post plica excision and partial meniscectomy. The veteran's left knee instability is rated as slight, while his arthroscopic residuals are rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's combined nonservice-connected disability rating is 80%, and he does not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his ability to dress, undress, feed himself, attend to the wants of nature, and protect himself from daily hazards without assistance.

The Board has granted a 20 percent disability rating for left knee instability, effective from the date of the initial grant of service connection in January 1975. The arthritis component is rated separately.

The Board granted a temporary total evaluation for residuals of right knee subtotal medial meniscectomy from October 17, 2003 to November 2003. The rating for post-traumatic arthritis of the right knee remains at 10 percent.

The Board has granted a separate disability evaluation of 30 percent for the service-connected right knee shell fragment wound residuals manifested by osteoarthritis with functional limitation due to pain, in addition to the 10 percent already assigned for the residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right knee based on instability.

The Board found no evidence of a left or right knee disability during service and denied the veteran's claims for service connection. The current diagnosed conditions are not related to military service.