Knee decisions — 2006

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for increased ratings for peripheral vascular disease of both feet and ankles, but found that higher ratings are not warranted. The veteran is also service-connected for syphilis with erectile dysfunction at a noncompensable rating.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee strain is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no service-connected disability caused or contributed substantially to his death.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for tricompartmental arthritis of his right and left knees, as these disabilities are already service-connected with a 10 percent rating each since October 18, 2002.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for chest pain, major depression, left knee disorder, low back disorder, and bilateral foot disorder are denied as there is no competent medical evidence to support these claims.

The veteran's claims for right and left knee disabilities, asthma, migraine headaches, dental disability, and PTSD have all been denied as there is no evidence of these conditions in service or post-service. The veteran has also been denied entitlement to a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his right ankle disability and service connection for his left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder, left shoulder, neck, and knee disorders are service-connected as direct service connection was established based on in-service injury.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and an increased rating for his service-connected left calf scar with myositis and injury to Muscle Group XI due to lack of cooperation in scheduling examinations.

The VA has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the right knee warrants a 10 percent evaluation, which is the maximum rating available under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability is service-connected, with no specific rating assigned and no effective date provided.

The Board granted an increased rating of 40 percent for the veteran's service-connected right knee post-operative residuals effective March 15, 2006. The veteran was previously rated at 20 percent prior to this date and is now rated at 40 percent from that point forward.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral pes planus, patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, and patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee as there was no evidence showing that his conditions warranted a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's increased rating claims for residuals of a right knee injury, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and appendectomy scar were denied. The RO found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board denied the claims of service connection for left knee, back, and left shoulder disabilities due to lack of evidence establishing a direct link between these conditions and service.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left knee chondromalacia and also denied service connection for hearing loss in the left ear. The RO found that the current 20 percent evaluation adequately reflects the severity of the veteran's symptoms, including instability.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee, finding that it is likely due to in-service parachute jumping. The issue of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee remains pending and requires a Statement of the Case.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for her left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for a new examination and re-adjudication.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's torn medial meniscus of the left knee, finding that it was incurred in active duty. For his back disability, the Board found insufficient evidence to establish aggravation by the service-connected left knee disability and thus denied this theory of entitlement.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the right knee as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability due to a VA examination opinion that it was less likely than not that the osteoarthritis of the right knee was secondary to the veteran's service-connected left knee injury.