Knee Board decisions

The VA denied an increased rating for right knee instability and a higher initial rating for degenerative joint disease of the right knee. The veteran's conditions were rated based on their direct service connection without any presumption or exposure basis.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability and denied service connection for depression, finding that the veteran's current left knee pain is related to his military service, but not finding any link between his current depression and his service-connected condition.

The Board granted an increased evaluation for the appellant's service-connected left knee disability to a 60 percent rating and denied his claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 60 percent for spondylolisthesis and degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine.

The Board has granted a 10% rating for osteochondritis dissecans, left ankle talus and denied an increased rating for post-traumatic arthritis, left knee.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his low back and right knee disabilities, as well as his claim for a total compensation rating based on individual unemployability.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and retaining all forms of substantially gainful employment, thus his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's pre-existing right ankle condition was aggravated by service, and granted service connection for synovitis and arthritis of the right ankle. The veteran is also rated as having a hiatal hernia, bilateral otitis media, left knee disorder, and lower back disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected disability, and thus denied all three claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder as secondary to his service-connected pes planus. The case will be further developed on these issues.

The Board denied a rating greater than noncompensable for cutaneous numbness of the left lateral knee, finding that there was no evidence of severe to complete paralysis of the external cutaneous nerve of the thigh.

The Board denied service connection for left knee injury and liver laceration residuals, finding no current disability related to service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right shoulder, right knee, left knee, and left os calcis fracture were denied. The right great toe postoperative ganglion was not evaluated as it did not limit function.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the service-connected left knee disability, which includes traumatic arthritis and minimal limitation of motion. The benefit-of-the-doubt rule was applied in making this decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have arthritis of the right knee, bilateral pes planus and/or residuals of trauma to the right foot, or varicose veins of the right leg as a result of disease or injury during service. The claims are denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee, ankle, hip, and back disabilities as secondary to his service-connected bilateral heel stress fractures.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee injury, which resulted in degenerative joint disease, was incurred during his active service and grants service connection for residuals of a left knee injury.

The VA has determined that the veteran's right knee disability warrants a 30 percent rating, effective from when his temporary total rating was granted in March 1995.