Knee decisions — 2008

The veteran is granted special monthly pension by reason of need for regular aid and attendance due to his multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for chondromalacia of the right and left knees, but denied requests for higher initial ratings. The veteran's right knee is currently rated at 10 percent disabling due to residuals of a medial meniscectomy with degenerative arthritis, while his left knee is rated as non-compensable due to degenerative joint disease.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service, and the VA examiner concluded that the veteran's arthritis in service was inflammatory arthritis from an unknown etiology that had resolved. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral knee disorder is denied.

The Board found no evidence of a current right knee disability and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left knee meniscus injury is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and proper VCAA notice.

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

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a request from the Court, including providing the veteran with notifications of VCAA provisions and scheduling him for a medical examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, PTSD, hepatitis C, and left knee disorder. The decision found no evidence of these conditions in service or related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and for increased evaluations for her bilateral foot plantar fasciitis, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or chronic condition, and that any current disabilities were not related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board finds that the veteran has left and right knee disabilities that are at least as likely as not related to his active service, with a jump from a second story balcony resulting in injuries. The Board grants service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claims were granted, with increased disability ratings assigned. Service connection was established for migraine headaches, lumbar spine disc disease, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. The RO also denied his requests for higher ratings for his service-connected left hip and left knee disabilities, as well as adjustment disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to service-connected residuals of a right patellar fracture with traumatic arthritis and a total knee replacement, and denied an increased rating in excess of 60 percent for the right knee disability.

The Board found no credible evidence of in-service injuries to the knees and thus denied service connection for residuals of right knee injury, left knee injury, low back disease secondary to knee disabilities, and hypertension secondary to knee disabilities.

The veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a 20% rating for recurrent pain and instability of his left knee has been denied as there is no evidence to factually ascertain that an increase in disability occurred within one year prior to August 29, 2001.

The veteran's right knee disability, which included a total right knee arthroplasty, was granted an increased rating of 30 percent effective July 1, 2007. The RO also granted increased ratings for his left knee scars and post-traumatic arthritis of the left knee.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right leg thrombophlebitis and bilateral hearing loss, were denied. The veteran was granted service connection for retropatellar pain syndrome of the left and right knees with a 10% rating each, tinnitus with a 10% rating, and GERD with a non-compensable rating effective October 1, 2004.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee osteoarthritis, as manifested by severe osteoarthritis confirmed by x-ray, medial joint line tenderness, normal knee alignment, no instability, and 5/5 motor strength in the left lower extremity with a range of motion testing revealing extension to 0 degrees and flexion to 120 degrees without decrease on repetitive use, does not warrant an increased evaluation beyond 20 percent.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, depression, hypertension, gastrointestinal issues, and other physical complaints are denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and her military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right and left knee disabilities do not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent for either knee.

The VA denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability, including arthritis. The medical evidence did not establish that his current condition was incurred or aggravated by active service.