Knee decisions — 2006

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability, sinus disorder, and gastrointestinal disorder. The claims for a right ankle disability and back disability are denied.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's right knee disorder to his service, specifically noting that there was no mention of a right knee injury during ADT and that the condition predated this period. The claim for service connection is denied.

The veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities have been granted increased evaluations, with the right knee receiving a 10 percent evaluation and the left knee receiving a 20 percent evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right and left knee disorders were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to events in service. The claims for service connection are therefore denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for a medial meniscus tear of the left knee and a postoperative wart of the left foot, finding that the evidence did not warrant higher evaluations based on current disability levels.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a back disorder, and left knee disorder as they are not related to his military service.

The claims for increased evaluation and CUE in the effective date were denied. The veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 5260 (limitation of flexion).

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and migraine headaches, as well as his increased rating claim for low back disability. The veteran's right lumbar radiculopathy is rated at 10 percent prior to June 30, 2004, but not greater than 10 percent thereafter. The fracture of the left carpal navicular bone is rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hip or knee disabilities, and therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disability, finding that a rating in excess of 20 percent was not warranted prior to February 12, 2002 and that an initial staged evaluation in excess of 30 percent from that date is also not warranted.

The veteran's right knee impairment is currently rated at 20 percent, and his degenerative joint disease of the right knee warrants a 30 percent rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disorders, as well as his attempt to reopen a previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for venous insufficiency of the bilateral lower extremities. The evidence did not demonstrate an association between these conditions and military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected hypertension on his ability to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's right knee disability, which includes arthritis and meniscectomy. The decision also notes that the veteran is entitled to a separate evaluation for his right knee instability.

The veteran's left knee tricompartmental arthritis results in flexion limited to 120 degrees and extension limited to 0 degrees, with some evidence of pain. The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for slight recurrent subluxation or lateral instability of the left knee from March 29, 2005.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU, but he asserts that they merit TDIU on an extraschedular basis. The case is remanded to obtain a copy of the SSA decision and records considered in the decision granting disability benefits.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed as the veteran withdrew her appeals. The claim for an effective date prior to June 6, 2000 for fibromyalgia is denied. Separate compensable evaluations for heel spurs are also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee arthritis and low back degenerative arthritic changes, both currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability and low back disability as secondary to the veteran's service-connected right knee disability, finding that his right knee condition aggravated his nonservice-connected left knee and low back conditions.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow him the opportunity for a hearing before a Hearing Officer at the RO.