Knee decisions — 2007

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a disability rating greater than 60 percent for his cervical spine condition and for entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not support an increased rating or TDIU determination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, depressive disorder, left knee disorder, flat feet, lung disorder, skin disorder, and bilateral hearing loss. The RO's decisions were based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluation, service connection, and reopening of a claim were denied. The RO found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for an increased rating or service connection based on his claimed conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active service and denied all claims for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's bilateral wrist, ankle, knee (arthritis), hand (arthritis), and hearing loss disabilities, as well as her residuals of left ear tympanoplasty, all claimed to be related to a repelling accident during active duty for training in May 1995.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including left knee and ankle disorders, spondylosis (low back disorder), spondylolisthesis (low back disorder), post-operative right foot and right ankle condition with degenerative joint disease, hypertension, and bilateral tinea pedis. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening any of these claims.

The Board found that the veteran's traumatic arthritis of the right knee is manifested by slight instability, motion from zero degrees of extension to 120 degrees of flexion, with limited evidence of painful motion and X-ray evidence of moderate arthritic changes. The preponderance of the evidence did not support a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for limitation of motion due to arthritis, but found a separate 10 percent disability rating was warranted on the basis of slight instability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, right knee degenerative joint disease, and left knee degenerative joint disease due to a lack of evidence showing current disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records. The claims will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board found that the veteran's current right knee disability was not incurred during service and is not related to his service-connected left knee disability. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including those presumptively associated with herbicide exposure, are denied.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death before a final decision could be made.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral internal knee derangements as secondary to the veteran's service-connected tinea pedis and pes planus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of a low back disorder as secondary to his service-connected right knee and left hip disabilities, and denied his requests for increased ratings for his right knee disability and residuals of his left hip injury.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for increased ratings for arthritis with limitation of motion of his right and left knees, as well as a claim for a TDIU due to unemployability caused by service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for poliomyelitis and the claim of a right knee disorder, which was considered on the theory of direct service incurrence. The veteran's poliomyelitis is not shown to have been present in service or within one year thereafter, nor is there evidence linking it to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee and lumbar spine disabilities are not service connected, as they are not shown to be related to his military service or directly caused by a pre-existing condition.

The VA denied a higher rating for the veteran's post-traumatic arthritis of the right knee, noting that his range of motion and symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected left knee patellofemoral pain disorder with synovitis and prepatellar bursitis is manifested by complaints of pain on motion and tenderness, but no more than slight (noncompensable) limitation of motion. The criteria for entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent have not been met.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's residuals of left ankle fracture, effective September 1, 2001. Service connection for a left knee disorder was not established.