Knee decisions — 2006

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed disabilities, including a right knee disability, low back disability, tinnitus, and right shoulder disability. The decision also addressed other issues such as dental surgery residuals and left foot fungus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and service connection, finding that her bilateral plantar fasciitis did not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), chronic sinusitis, bladder neck contracture with median lobe hypertrophy, bilateral defective hearing, chronic tinnitus, right and left knee disabilities, a skin disorder, unspecified dental condition, and a disorder characterized by loss of libido or sex drive. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred in service or as the result of exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected left knee arthralgia, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and right shoulder arthralgia. The evidence did not support a higher evaluation under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected post-operative right knee anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and partial meniscectomy is warranted, effective from August 16, 2000. The rating for arthritis of the right knee remains at 10 percent.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and left knee disability, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected left foot disability, are being remanded for further development.

The RO denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hip disability secondary to his right and left knee patello-femoral syndrome. The issue is currently pending.

The Board has granted service connection for chondrocalcinosis of the left knee and assigned a 10 percent initial rating, effective December 7, 1998. The claim for residuals of pilonidal cyst was also granted with a noncompensable initial rating. Service connection for low back disorder is denied.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected post-operative ACL reconstruction and traumatic arthritis of the left knee, finding that the current evaluations adequately reflect the severity of his symptoms.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection due to new and material evidence, including a private medical opinion linking his current bilateral knee disability to his military service. The Board finds that it is at least as likely as not that the veteran incurred this disability during service.

The veteran's claim for a left wrist fracture is denied.,The effective date of the grant of service connection for right knee osteoarthrosis is denied as prior to June 7, 1994.,The initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left knee gonoarthrosis is denied.,The termination of benefits and denial of apportionment due to status as a fugitive felon are granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left knee disability is related to a left knee injury incurred in service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee and degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine, will be adjudicated on both direct service connection and secondary service connection bases.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, emphysema, and gastritis with gastroesophageal reflux disease, were not shown until decades after separation from service and are not medically linked to service. Therefore, these claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, and denied increased evaluations for degenerative joint disease of the right knee and left knee.

The veteran's left knee arthritis is rated at 30 percent, effective June 16, 2003. His right knee arthritis was granted service connection with a rating of 10 percent, also effective June 16, 2003.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence of current disabilities for the claimed bilateral shoulder, wrist, knee, and ankle conditions. Therefore, service connection cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disorder is service-connected and has found no evidence to support a compensable rating for post-operative residuals of a removal of lipoma from his right medial thigh.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for bipolar disorder, hepatitis C, left knee disorder, chronic low back disorder, and headaches. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection and a higher initial disability evaluation for degenerative joint disease of the right knee.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine spondylolisthesis, left knee osteoarthritis, and psychological musculoskeletal disorder with headaches and depression. The RO previously awarded a 50 percent rating for the psychological condition.