Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities was denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 30 percent for residuals of a left medial meniscectomy and patellectomy, effective from April 1, 1978.

The Veteran's right shoulder and left knee disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service.,However, the Veteran's right elbow disability was incurred in service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current disc herniation of the lumbar spine is not proximately due to, the result of, or chronically aggravated by his service-connected left knee chondromalacia and right knee chondromalacia. The claim for increased ratings for bilateral knee disorders was also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and post-service medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral knee disability were denied. The RO granted service connection for chronic cervical strain, gastrointestinal disability, and pulmonary hypertension and mitral valve regurgitation but assigned noncompensable ratings.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, left knee, and left shoulder disorders. The claim for low back disorder was also denied.

The Veteran's right knee and thoracolumbar strain disabilities have been evaluated at the lowest possible rating due to lack of evidence supporting higher evaluations based on functional loss or instability.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and his post-operative scar is also rated at 10 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher evaluation for either condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues on appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability as secondary to his service-connected chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes, finding that there was no evidence of such disability in service and that it is not related to his service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service and have denied all of his claims for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within the applicable presumptive period, and there is no competent medical nexus linking any current disabilities to military service. The Veteran's claims for right and left knee disabilities, residuals of a fracture of the left fifth finger, a disability of the neck and upper back, a lumbar spine disability, and Reiter's syndrome were denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his low back strain and left knee instability were denied, but he was granted a separate disability rating of 20 percent for early degenerative changes of the left knee.

The Veteran is seeking a higher rating for his right knee disability, which has been rated at 10 percent. The case is being remanded to the RO for additional development of evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee degenerative joint disease with anterior cruciate laxity are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's right knee disability, post-replacement surgery, is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board finds that the current rating adequately reflects his symptoms and does not warrant an increase.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by a service-connected disease or injury. The VA examiner concluded that the current state of the left knee was normal with no evidence of arthritis.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to issues related to service connection and rating of knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee chondromalacia, anterior cruciate ligament tear, and osteoarthritis. The appellant's pension claim was denied due to his period of active duty not meeting the requirements for pension eligibility.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his knee and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as hypertension, were denied. The conditions are rated based on their direct service connection without any presumption or secondary theory.