Knee Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of a low back disability and right knee disability as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities, finding that the current 10 percent ratings adequately reflected the severity of his symptoms.

The Board found no chronic disabilities related to the veteran's military service and denied all claims for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a current right knee disability and denied service connection for PTSD due to lack of credible in-service stressors.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder due to new and material evidence submitted since the February 1969 rating decision. The Board also found that there is sufficient evidence to warrant service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of multiple joints, including right knee and back disorders, finding no evidence that these conditions were related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an effective date earlier than March 6, 2000 for reinstatement of his service-connected evaluations for patellofemoral pain syndrome with chondromalacia of the right knee and postoperative residuals of meniscectomy with patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee.

The Board found that there is no evidence linking the veteran's current arthritis of the right knee to his military service, including an injury in Vietnam. The claim was denied as the condition did not manifest within one year of service and there is insufficient medical evidence connecting it to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus, right knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss are service-connected. The veteran is granted increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities.

The VA determined that the veteran's right and left knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date were denied. The Board found that the veteran did not have a valid claim to an earlier effective date due to his renouncement of compensation benefits in 1980, and that he was entitled to the current 10 percent evaluations based on the symptoms reported.

The VA determined that the veteran's residuals of a left knee injury do not warrant an increased disability rating, as they are currently evaluated at 10 percent.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right knee disability is being remanded to the RO for additional development.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims of service connection for low back and bilateral knee disabilities, as there is no official verification of his claimed period of active duty for training in April 1982 or any documentation of such injuries. The claim was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, finding that there was no evidence of recurrent instability or limitation of motion warranting a compensable rating.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder. Service connection was denied for a heart disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability, which includes a reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament, is manifested by moderate functional impairment and does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected, as there is no evidence linking them to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for restoration of service connection for left ear hearing loss, increased evaluation for right ear hearing loss, propriety of initial 30% evaluation for right hand weakness, evaluation for right knee hyperextension with instability and arthralgia, and increased rating for right leg incoordination (femoral nerve paralysis). The veteran's claims were not granted as the evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has granted increased ratings of 40 percent for each knee disability, finding that the veteran's bilateral knee disabilities meet the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5262 and a 10 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5003.