Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted effective dates of September 21, 2005 for the awards of service connection for arthritis of the right knee and left hip.

The Board has granted a 100% rating for schizophrenia and reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for arthritis of the low back, knees, cervical spine, left hip, right femur, left femur, right hand, left hand, right wrist, left wrist, and left shoulder. The Veteran is also entitled to an increased rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae and pes planus.

The Veteran's left knee disability is the result of an injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty during active duty for training, and the Board grants service connection for osteoarthritis of the left knee.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine and lumbar spine disorders, and did not assign a rating for the Veteran's skin disorder (tinea versicolor) as it was found to be less than five percent of his entire body or exposed areas affected.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that there is no medical evidence linking her current condition to her active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of a left inguinal hernia status post repair are likely due to an injury during his period of active duty for training (ADT) in USMCR, and service connection is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for degenerative arthritis of the right knee and left knee strain, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran is seeking higher initial evaluations for her service-connected left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and lumbar strain. The case is being remanded to obtain missing private treatment records, VA medical records, and an updated VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral knee conditions were denied by the Board, as the evidence did not support a higher rating than 10 percent prior to October 9, 2008 and 10 percent since that date.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee, right shoulder, and migraine headache disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected conditions is 30%, which does not meet the schedular requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right knee disorder is not related to his active service and denied his claim for service connection. The left knee disability was previously denied, but the Veteran has now reopened this claim.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for right knee and low back disabilities, which are now pending. The appeal is mixed as some issues have been granted while others were denied or not addressed.

The Veteran's right knee disability, even with consideration of arthritis, does not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for headaches, the maximum available under Diagnostic Code 8100. The other issues remain unchanged with noncompensable ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder strain, finding it etiologically related to active duty service. The other conditions remain unresolved.

The Board denied a request for an earlier effective date of May 26, 2006 for the grant of a 60 percent disability rating for right knee replacement.

The Board denied a combined rating in excess of 40 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability, finding that the current 40 percent rating adequately reflects the severity and manifestations of his condition.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is denied as he did not meet the criteria of having a total disability rating due to service-connected disabilities for at least ten years immediately preceding his death.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.