Knee Board decisions

The veteran's right femur disability was aggravated during service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. His degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine and osteoarthritis of the knees were also incurred in active service.

The Board has restored the 30 percent rating for degenerative joint disease of the right knee and granted a separate 30 percent evaluation for right knee laxity based on the severity of the appellant's disability.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for left knee strain with arthritis was granted, and he is now rated at 10 percent effective April 5, 2001.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims for service connection of low back disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee arthritis. The RO had previously denied these claims in May 2001 and December 2002.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The left knee disability was rated at 20% under DC 5257, while the right knee disability was rated at 10% under DC 5257.

The RO has granted increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees, each rated at 10 percent.,However, no increase was granted for arthritis of the wrists or lumbosacral spine.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for her service-connected patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, finding that it did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess current severity.

The veteran's service connection claims for low back, right knee, right ankle, and bilateral hip disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination.

The Board found no evidence that the veteran's right knee arthritis is related to his service, and denied the claim. However, the left knee arthritis was granted.

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

The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for the residuals of compression fractures at T12, L1, and L2 with disruption of the pars articularis of L4 and degenerative changes. The veteran's left knee replacement is rated as 60 percent disabling.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected conditions, finding that none of the criteria for a higher rating were met.

The veteran's claims for hepatitis C and right knee disability were denied. The claim for hepatitis C was remanded, while the claim for right knee disability remains denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection or increased ratings.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and denied entitlement to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1318 due to lack of evidence showing a causal relationship between the veteran's service-connected disabilities and his death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding that there was no evidence connecting the cerebral infarct which caused his death to any disorder incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's back disorder, bilateral ankle disability, and bilateral knee disability are not service-connected.

The veteran's service-connected knee and ankle disabilities have been rated based on their current manifestations. The wrist disabilities are also considered, but the mixed nature of the issues means some conditions may warrant higher ratings while others do not.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability, which includes total knee replacements, renders him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, thus granting a TDIU.