Knee Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability was not incurred or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, effective May 12, 2006. The Veteran is now assigned a 10 percent rating for each knee disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and bilateral knee disabilities. However, the evidence does not establish that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and provide a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of her claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have service connection for any of his claimed disabilities, including low back, bilateral hip, left knee, bilateral foot, and bilateral hand disabilities.

The claim of service connection for a status post partial meniscectomy, left knee was reopened and granted.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disorder, including degenerative joint disease and limitation of extension, is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The RO has granted the requested increased ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, claimed as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. As such, the claim remains denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability, cervical myofascial pain syndrome with tension headaches, and left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and arthritis of both knees, were rated at 100% disabling prior to his death in March 1998. The Board found clear and unmistakable error in the January 1986 decision that denied a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as it did not consider the Veteran's combined disability rating at the time of his claim in 1985.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a left total knee replacement and found that hypertension does not warrant an increased rating. The Veteran's claim for cerebrovascular accident residuals was denied as there are no ascertainable residuals.

The Veteran's right knee disability is not manifested by either flexion limited to 30 degrees or extension limited to 15 degrees, and therefore does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right knee disability. The criteria for a rating higher than 10 percent have not been met for any period considered in this decision.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 20 percent, and his left ankle sprain with post-traumatic degenerative changes is rated as 20 percent effective June 23, 2009.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition, tinnitus, low back disability, and bilateral knee disability. The conditions are related to in-service noise exposure and injuries.

The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection, but denied it on the merits. The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is not attributable to his military service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of ankylosis, recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, dislocated semilunar cartilage, or impairment of the tibia and fibula. The current range of motion did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disabilities were rated at the lowest possible levels for the appeal period, with no evidence of more severe disability warranting higher ratings.

The Veteran's initial rating for left knee arthritis remains at 10 percent, and his request for an earlier effective date for the left knee instability claim is denied.