Knee decisions — 2006

The veteran withdrew his claims for higher ratings, and the appeal is dismissed without prejudice.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability warrants a 40 percent rating, effective January 19, 2005, based on increased severity of symptoms and limitation in extension.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to new evidence received after previous SSOCs.

The Board has remanded both issues for additional development.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his service connection of bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the July 23, 2001 decision was correct as it aligned with applicable law and regulation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for reopening his right eye and bilateral knee disability claims, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for residual scarring on both hands. The RO provided all required notice and obtained all relevant evidence necessary for the equitable disposition of the veteran's appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for his right knee disorder and for an earlier effective date for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability and a left ear disability, finding insufficient new and material evidence to reopen the claims.

The veteran's appeal is denied as his service-connected flat feet did not cause or aggravate any of the claimed conditions, including circulatory disorder, bilateral ankle disability, low back disorder, and bilateral knee disability. The claim for an increased rating for pes planus remains pending.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and providing the veteran with an orthopedic examination.

The Board has granted service connection for spondylolisthesis of L5-S1, but denied the veteran's claims for arthritis of the bilateral hips, knees, ankles, and feet.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for her right knee disability, as her current condition does not more closely resemble severe weakness and pain or ankylosis.

The veteran's right and left knee chondromalacia have been granted increased evaluations of 20% effective June 8, 1999. The issue of TDIU remains pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for instability and that there was no separate compensable rating for limitation of flexion or extension. The RO continued the 20 percent rating for limitation of motion (extension) as of April 11, 2005.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including left knee disability, hemorrhoids, respiratory disability (manifested by shortness of breath), neck disability, and shoulder disability, were not incurred or aggravated during active service. The Board found no evidence to support presumptive service connection based on exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, radiation, Gulf War Syndrome, or the Presumption of Exposure Act.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in an August 1994 rating decision that established effective dates for separate compensable ratings for right knee and left shoulder disabilities.

The VA has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the residuals of right total knee replacement beginning May 1, 2005. The appellant's prior claim for an increased rating for her right knee disability was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected left knee disability, post-total left knee replacement, warrants a 60 percent evaluation.

The veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee disabilities has been denied. The RO assigned a single 30 percent rating for internal derangement of the right knee and a separate 10 percent rating for arthritis of the right knee.