Knee Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there is no evidence linking the current condition to service or any service-connected disability.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her low back strain, right knee sprain, and bilateral shin splints.,The VA found that there was no evidence of orthopedic or traumatic pathology in the veteran's lower back, right knee, or legs.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for traumatic arthritis of the left knee, effective from June 1994. The lumbar disc disease remains rated at 60 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability or service-connected right and left knee disabilities. The claims are denied.

The veteran's right knee disability has significantly worsened since the last VA examination in October 2001, and a new examination is required to determine if an increased rating is warranted.

The Board has denied service connection for various hip, knee, and leg disorders due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a bilateral knee disorder, and a stomach disorder. The VA examiner found that the veteran did not have hearing loss in service or due to noise exposure during service. The preexisting knee and stomach disorders were also determined not to be aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for residual shrapnel wound scars of the left knee and right neck, finding no evidence of underlying muscle damage or limitation of function.

The Board denied reopening of the veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, finding no new and material evidence to support these claims.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 10% for traumatic arthritis and instability of the right knee, effective from December 1, 2005. The effective date for separate ratings was set at July 17, 2000.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and back disabilities as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of current disabilities on which to base these claims.

The veteran's right knee disability, characterized as osteoarthritis and meniscal injury, was rated at 20 percent effective July 2, 2001. The RO denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings prior to that date.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims of service connection for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbosacral spine and left leg/knee disability, both secondary to her service-connected left ankle sprain. The Board concluded that these conditions are not related to her service-connected condition.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right knee disability, and a left knee disability. The veteran's current depression is found to be proximately due to or the result of her service-connected endometriosis with a total hysterectomy. Ratings of 30% have been assigned for each knee disability.

The VA has granted a 20 percent evaluation for osteoarthritis of the left knee, effective August 31, 2000. The veteran's disability is currently rated as moderate.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, residuals of a left knee injury, and hypertension due to lack of credible supporting evidence for the claimed stressors and failure to establish a nexus between current disabilities and military service.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his degenerative arthritis of the left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine. The conditions are currently rated at 10 percent each.

The Board found no evidence of a right hip, knee, or low back injury during service and insufficient post-service medical evidence to establish continuity of symptoms. The veteran's claims for these conditions were denied as they are not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability.

The veteran is seeking service connection for his right knee and low back disabilities, with the latter being secondary to the former. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to determine if the veteran's preexisting right knee disability was aggravated by military service.

The veteran's right knee disorder is now rated at 30 percent, effective from October 1, 2002. His low back disorder with spondylolisthesis remains at a 40 percent rating.