Knee Board decisions

The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee arthritis warrants a compensable disability rating of 10 percent, and service connection for residuals of right shoulder acromioclavicular separation is granted.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including as secondary to herbicide exposure (Agent Orange), were denied. The Board found no evidence of current disability or a link between the claimed conditions and Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his left foot and left knee disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of more than slight impairment at any time during the appeal period.

The veteran's claim for increased evaluations for his post-operative left knee disability has been granted with a 60 percent evaluation effective from August 2000 for the post-operative left knee replacement, and a separate 30 percent evaluation for left knee instability under DC 5257.

The Board denied service connection for gastritis, left hip disability, sciatica, and left knee disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a hearing before the Board at the RO.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities have impaired her ability to obtain and retain employment consistent with her abilities, aptitudes, and interests. Therefore, she is eligible for vocational rehabilitation training under Chapter 31 of Title 38, United States Code.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected left knee replacement and right shoulder disorder, finding that the schedular criteria did not meet the requirements for higher ratings.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disorder, back disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, tinnitus, rhinitis, otitis media, and residuals of tonsillectomy. The arthritis of the knees is separately rated at 10 percent.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection on all issues due to the appellant's withdrawal of these appeals.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disability is not related to his service-connected left knee disability and denied reopening of his right knee disability claim. The right knee disability was also not shown to be related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The veteran's left knee disability, characterized by posttraumatic chondromalacia and a benign cystic lesion of the proximal tibia, was rated at 20 percent effective from October 1, 1997.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability due to new and material evidence submitted. The claim is now considered on its merits, with the conclusion that the current right knee disability is related to an injury sustained during active duty.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's left knee excision, medial meniscus with traumatic arthritis. The temporary total rating for convalescence following left knee surgery is not addressed as it was not appealed.

The veteran's service-connected left knee disability, which includes a total knee replacement and associated loss of use of the left foot, now prevents him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the left knee is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected right knee disorder, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability warrants a 20 percent evaluation, effective from February 1, 1997.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from performing substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at the highest possible level of 100 percent, his right knee disability at 40 percent, and his right ankle disability remains at its initial assigned rating of 20 percent.