Knee Board decisions

The veteran's claims of service connection for disorders of the head, neck, low back, bilateral knees and hips, claimed as residuals of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident in service, were denied. The Board also found that his claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected residuals of a gunshot wound of Muscle Groups XIV and XV, right thigh, with damage to the right femur and degenerative joint disease of the right knee and right hip is being remanded due to the need for additional development including a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee condition, bilateral wrist condition, and a back condition.,There is no evidence linking the appellant's current conditions to her military service.

The RO granted a 60 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of left knee injury with degenerative arthritis, effective October 15, 2003. The decision also addressed secondary service connection claims for right hip avascular necrosis and degenerative changes, left hip degenerative changes, and postoperative degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The veteran's left knee injury, status-post meniscectomy, is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The right knee pain with joint effusion is also rated at 10 percent. Both conditions are not granted increased ratings.

The veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left knee is currently rated at 10 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to limited range of motion and no evidence of recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for central disc bulge at L4-5, finding that it is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected knee condition.

The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for her right and left knee disabilities have been denied. The right knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent, while the left knee disability was previously rated at 10 percent from July 3, 2001 to May 2, 2004, and at 20 percent thereafter.

The veteran's bilateral knee disabilities were denied service connection. The lumbar spine disability was granted with a noncompensable rating effective from September 18, 2003. Costochondritis was also granted but no evaluation was assigned.

The Board found that the veteran's current left knee disability is not related to service and denied his claims for service connection.

The veteran's left and right knee disabilities have been rated based on their specific impairments, with the highest rating of 30 percent granted for each knee from February 1, 2002, to February 1, 2003. Separate evaluations were assigned for arthritis affecting both knees.

The Board denied increased ratings for migraine headaches and right knee disorder, finding that the veteran's symptoms did not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, left hand disorder, bilateral wrist disorder, and chronic right ear otitis media/externa. The veteran's claims are not supported by the medical evidence of record.

The VA denied a claim for an increased rating for the veteran's right total knee replacement, which was assigned a 30 percent rating as of November 1, 2000.

The Board has determined that the initial evaluations for left knee sprain and lumbosacral degenerative joint disease are not higher than 10 percent, as there is no evidence of compensable limitation of motion or other disabling conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for knee, hip, and low back disorders due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions are related to her military service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine based on new and material evidence. The right knee disorder and back injury claims are being remanded to the RO for further development, while the left ankle sprain rating remains unchanged.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and a skin disability, finding no evidence of such disabilities during her active duty for training period.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability, left knee disability, and bilateral pes planus from September 26, 1990 to June 8, 2000. The reasons were that the veteran failed to report for scheduled VA examinations.