Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability is not caused or worsened by his service-connected right knee disability, and thus denied his claim for secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for scheduling a hearing before a traveling Member of the Board and providing appropriate notice.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip, low back, and left knee disabilities as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for residuals of left ankle sprain, joint pain (unspecified), right knee pain, and residuals of a right hand injury.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a rating of 30 percent, effective from January 1 to January 22, 1996. The veteran's Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the right knee is rated at 10 percent. Service connection for drug abuse as secondary to PTSD has been denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant's left knee disability was not incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran no longer wishes to pursue his claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss. The Board also finds that there is insufficient evidence to establish a current disability related to bilateral knee pain and effusion during service, and thus denies the claim.

The Board has granted a rating of 20 percent for the service-connected residuals of a medial meniscectomy of the right knee and has determined that the veteran's low back pain is aggravated by his service-connected right knee condition.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of neck, back, right shoulder, left shoulder or right knee disabilities and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected ligament laxity of the left knee, right knee with degenerative changes, and right ankle instability. The veteran is also entitled to a rating in excess of 30 percent for his major depressive disorder and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for left knee retropatellar pain syndrome was denied because he failed to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations and increased ratings for his right knee disabilities were denied. The current ratings are considered appropriate based on the medical evidence of record.

The veteran's claims for various conditions were denied by the RO. The Board found that none of these conditions are related to service, and some may be secondary to asbestos exposure.

The veteran's claim for TDIU was granted effective December 30, 1999. The Board found that the earliest date on which it was factually ascertainable that there had been an increase in his combined disabilities to 70 percent was December 30, 1999.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed back and knee disorders are not related to his military service, and therefore denied his claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected left knee disability, characterized as residuals of a meniscectomy and degenerative joint disease, warrants a 20 percent rating for the former condition and a separate 10 percent rating for the latter. The veteran is not entitled to higher ratings under Diagnostic Codes 5257 or 5260/5261.

The veteran's avascular necrosis of the right hip was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, nor is it proximately due to a service-connected disability.,Prior to December 1, 1999, the veteran's postoperative residuals of anterior cruciate ligament repair of the right knee were productive of severe impairment with range of motion from 20 to 90 degrees and a 20-degree flexion contracture. The current evaluation in excess of 30 percent for this condition is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for higher evaluations for his left knee disorder, finding that it is no more than 30 percent disabling based on instability and arthritis with limitation of motion.

The VA denied increased ratings for postoperative left knee ligaments and left knee arthritis, both rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations and service connection for migraine headaches were denied. The left knee disorder is characterized by range of motion from zero to 115 degrees, without instability or other significant impairment. Right knee chondromalacia does not meet criteria for a compensable evaluation. Mechanical low back pain is not productive of lumbosacral strain with specific symptoms. Sinusitis is not moderate and does not result in incapacitating episodes requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment. Migraine headaches are not service-connected.