Knee Board decisions

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities, as well as his lumbar spine disability, are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed low back and left knee disabilities.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeal, leaving no issues for the Board to consider.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a right knee disability and remanded it to the RO. The veteran's left knee disability, arthritis, and total knee replacement are rated at 30 percent disabling since March 12, 1998. His right wrist disability is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board found no evidence of subluxation or instability in either knee, and concluded that the veteran's disability is not severe enough to warrant a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes. The RO assigned a separate 10 percent rating for each knee as they are service-connected conditions.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection of a chronic acquired left knee disorder, as new and material evidence has been submitted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected psoriasis aggravates his above-the-knee left leg amputation, warranting service connection for this increase in severity. The veteran is also eligible for a certificate of eligibility for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance due to his service-connected loss of use of one foot.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for temporary total disability ratings beyond August 31, 2001 and September 30, 2002 due to post-operative chondromalacia of his right and left knees, respectively. The appeals were decided on the merits as service connection was established directly.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as the issue had not been raised in prior decisions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic knee disability, finding that there is no current disability and no causal link to symptoms shown in service.

The Board denied all claims for increased ratings, finding that the veteran's conditions did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under VA rating criteria.

The Board has granted an initial 10 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected left knee pain with a history of partial anterior cruciate ligament disruption, effective December 7, 1996.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his service-connected depressive disorder, left knee disabilities, and right knee disability. The decision also noted that the veteran had tinnitus but did not grant separate compensable evaluations for each ear.

The Board denied the veteran's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and loss of the left testis, finding that the new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The veteran's shell fragment wound to the left thigh and bullet wound to the right knee resulted in moderate muscle damage, which warrants a 10 percent evaluation for each condition. The scars from these wounds are not service-connected.

The veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was denied as there was no prior informal or formal claim filed before March 12, 1998. The evidence did not show that the veteran had been unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities prior to this date.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current right knee disorder related to his period of service and therefore, denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee chondromalacia did not warrant a higher disability rating, as it did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation based on limitation of motion or instability.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right knee disability was denied until May 8, 2001 when he received a 20% evaluation. His TDIU claim was granted effective from the date of the decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee strain, finding that the evidence did not support a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.