Knee decisions — 2007

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including skin condition (claimed as acne), sinusitis, bronchitis, right knee condition with arthritis, diabetes mellitus type II, and erectile dysfunction. The appeals are currently pending due to the need for further development of the hypertension claim.

The Board found no evidence of current left knee or left ankle disorders.,VA post-service treatment records were negative for any findings or diagnoses related to the claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back, left knee, and left hip disorders are not service connected as they are not related to his active duty service. The claims for secondary service connection have been denied due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between the service-connected right knee disorder and the claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current right knee disability related to service or her service-connected left knee disability, and thus denied her claim.

The Board finds that an effective date earlier than May 27, 2004 for the grants of service connection for right and left knee degenerative arthritis is not warranted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of left and right knee replacements, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,For the bilateral inguinal hernia repairs, the Board found that there was not enough evidence to warrant a compensable rating.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for DJD of the left knee and right ankle have been denied as his conditions do not warrant a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's left knee disability prior to total knee replacement surgery and a separate 10 percent rating for limitation of motion due to arthritis in a major joint. The claim for increased evaluation after total knee replacement surgery is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diverticulitis and a left knee disorder, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for residuals of a right radius fracture. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right tibia fracture with right knee complications and degenerative joint disease of the right ankle, finding that he was not entitled to a rating higher than 20 percent.

The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his right shoulder and left knee disabilities have been granted. The right shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent effective from May 3, 2007, while the left knee disability remains at a noncompensable rating.

The veteran's service-connected left knee disability was found to not warrant a higher rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Board denied increased evaluations for traumatic and degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees, respectively. The current ratings are 10 percent each.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings and service connection for various joint pains, finding that his right knee disability was manifested by symptoms of pain, swelling, tenderness, crepitus, motion limited from 10 to 140 degrees when considering functional impairment, and arthritis confirmed by x-ray examination. There is no instability of the right knee joint.

The veteran's right knee Baker's cyst and left leg muscle condition were both evaluated, with the right knee receiving a 10% rating. The left leg muscle issue was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability related to his service for any of the conditions he is claiming. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a bilateral hip disorder or right knee disorder, and thus service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional medical examinations and information to clarify her service connection claims, particularly regarding multiple sclerosis and knee disorders.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disability, characterized as internal derangement with residual osteoarthritic changes, warrants a rating of 20 percent under DC 5255. The Board also granted an additional, separate 10 percent evaluation for instability of the right knee.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee meniscectomy, post-operative, is not manifested by severe, recurrent subluxation or lateral instability but does limit extension to 20 degrees. The veteran is granted a separate 30 percent rating for limitation of extension.