Knee decisions — 2006

The VA determined that the veteran's left knee disability, which is currently rated at 40 percent, does not warrant a higher rating.

The VA determined that the veteran's right knee MCL strain prior to June 17, 1999 did not warrant a rating in excess of 10%.

The Board has remanded the claims to the RO for its initial review of new evidence submitted by the veteran.

The Board denied service connection for depression, gastroenteritis, and bilateral knee disability. The veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for status post excision, endocervical polyp, was not addressed as it is a separate issue.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for various knee and spine conditions have been denied by the Board.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed disabilities, finding that they were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The VA determined that the veteran's right knee arthroplasty does not warrant a higher disability rating, as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that the veteran's left knee disability was caused or aggravated by his service-connected right foot disability, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the etiology of the veteran's left knee disability and right knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for memory impairment, fatigue, and joint pain due to an undiagnosed illness. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The veteran's internal derangement of the left knee with ACL tear is currently rated at 30 percent effective January 20, 2005.,The veteran's traumatic DJD, residuals of left knee injury associated with internal derangement of the left knee with ACL tear is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disability, which is rated under Diagnostic Code 5257 for instability of the knee, does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent due to lack of evidence showing instability or limitation of motion beyond what was already considered. The current rating remains at 30 percent.

The Board has granted increased evaluations for service-connected chondromalacia of the left knee and status post tibial fracture of the right lateral tibia plateau with degenerative joint disease, both currently rated at 20 percent. A separate evaluation is not warranted for limitation of flexion in the right knee.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of his right and left knee disabilities, finding that the earliest date of entitlement is March 2, 1995.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral knee disabilities, and a low back disorder have been remanded by the Board due to an incomplete rating decision. The issues will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the veteran's service connection claims for knee, low back, and neck disabilities due to potential errors in the examination reports and lack of review of relevant medical records.

The veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a fractured right knee and entitlement to TDIU. The Board has remanded the case due to pending issues.

The veteran's service-connected avulsed vastus medialis obliquus of the left knee is rated at 20 percent, which grants an increased rating for his disability.

The VA denied an increased rating for traumatic arthritis of the right knee and instability of the right knee, both rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his right knee disorder and a prior effective date, finding that the proper effective date is August 17, 1994.