Knee Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of multiple joints and depression, finding no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, which included generalized anxiety disorder (30%), chondromalacia of the right knee (10%), chondromalacia of the left knee (10%), right ankle sprain (10%), and migraine headaches (10%), did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 18, 1993.

The Board found that the veteran's hip, knee, ankle, and lumbar spine disabilities are not proximately due to or the result of military service or service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion and ensuring compliance with VCAA requirements.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a right knee disability due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, bursitis of the left hip, and right Achilles tendonitis (claimed as right ankle pain) have all been assigned noncompensable ratings.,The veteran's left elbow pain has not been found to be service-connected.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current low back disorder, and his left shoulder disorder did not increase in severity during service. The Board also found no evidence of a current left knee disorder related to service.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right knee meniscectomy residuals and left knee chondromalacia patella were denied. The RO found that the current evaluations of 10 percent are appropriate.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the evaluation from 20 percent to 10 percent for traumatic arthritis of the left knee was proper. From December 1, 2002 to the present, the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent are not met.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of bilateral Achilles tendonitis, left ankle disorder, or right knee disorder. Therefore, service connection for these conditions was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease is as likely as not related to injury or disease incurred during active military service.

The Board has determined that no new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, resulting in a denial of the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for pes planus, low back disability, heart disorder (pericarditis), bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and hallux valgus of the feet. The veteran's preexisting conditions were not shown to be aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for patellofemoral pain syndrome of both knees, but granted a 10 percent evaluation for allergic conjunctivitis.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the TDIU due to lack of ascertainable increase within a year of receipt of claim.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for traumatic arthritis of the left and right knees have been denied. The VA has not found sufficient evidence to grant higher disability ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that the new evidence does not establish a link between the current disability and military service.

The veteran's appeal of the denial of service connection for subarachnoid hemorrhage has been withdrawn. The remaining issues of entitlement to an initial disability evaluation in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability resulting from service-connected disabilities are addressed.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not meet the schedular requirements for TDIU prior to August 6, 2001 and there is no evidence of unemployability due solely to service-connected disabilities prior to this date. Therefore, an effective date earlier than August 6, 2001 for TDIU is denied.