Knee decisions — 2006

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the right knee as secondary to service-connected disabilities and GERD as aggravated by medications used for service-connected conditions. Service connection for polycythemia vera is denied, and an increased rating for lumbosacral strain and left knee arthritis residuals is remanded.

The veteran's hip and knee disabilities are rated at 10 percent for the hip impairment and 30 percent for the knee impairment, with limitations in range of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right knee disability, which includes residuals of a meniscectomy with arthritis, warrants a rating no higher than 40 percent. The evidence does not support an increased rating as the condition is manifested by limitation of extension to 16 degrees and full flexion without instability.

The veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are rated at 20 percent each, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has determined that there is no relationship between the veteran's diagnosed left knee disability and his service-connected tarsal tunnel syndrome and Morton's neuroma, right foot post-operative. Therefore, the claim for secondary service connection for a left knee disability is denied.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have been of such severity as to preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that she meets the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for all six secondary conditions (right hip disorder, headaches, ulcers, hypertension, cardiovascular disorder, and bilateral knee disorder) to the veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine.

The Board has granted a 50 percent evaluation for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability related to infectious mononucleosis and therefore denied her claim for service connection. The remaining issues of increased evaluations for TMJ, right knee, left knee, and tendonitis of the right wrist are remanded for further development.

The veteran does not have a diagnosed condition of PTSD, nor any other service-connected disabilities as claimed. The Board finds that the evidence does not support the claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for evaluations of his left and right knee disabilities, as well as his costochondritis. The costochondritis was found to be noncompensably disabling.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 20 percent for the veteran's chronic right knee strain, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty and is not related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee and hip disabilities secondary to the veteran's right ankle disability, but denied an increased rating for his right ankle disability. The decision also found that the veteran's current left knee and hip conditions are not related to his right ankle disability.

The veteran is seeking a higher rating for his service-connected internal derangement of the left knee. The case has been remanded to the RO for further action.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the appellant's request for a hearing and her representative not being provided an opportunity to review the file.

The Board has determined that the appellant's low back disability and additional left knee disability were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor can they be presumed to have been so incurred. The initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's pre-existing left knee disability was aggravated by service, and thus grants service connection for a left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current right knee disability is incurred in service, and thus granted service connection for a right knee disorder.