Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to a rating of 30 percent for residuals of left knee replacement from September 1, 1996, to March 5, 2000, and from October 1, 2000, to the present.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and granted increased ratings of 20% each for the veteran's right and left knee disabilities since August 24, 2000.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation and a temporary total evaluation following his right knee surgery, finding that there was no evidence of severe postoperative residuals or at least one month of convalescence.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current left knee disorder and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's bilateral below knee varicose veins and his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The RO had previously assigned a 60 percent rating for the condition.

The Board found that the veteran's left and right knee chondromalacia did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Codes 5257, 5260, or 5261. The evidence showed complaints of pain, weakness, swelling, and locking but no objective signs of subluxation or lateral instability.

The veteran's disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Board found that the veteran's torn anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee preexisted his military service and did not worsen during service. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for chondromalacia patella of both knees and assigned a noncompensable evaluation (10%) to each knee.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral knee disorder had its onset during her military service and granted service connection. The rating for cervical strain remains at 10 percent.

The veteran's service connection claims for amnesia and a heart disorder were denied. The claim for residuals of right pneumothorax was granted with a 10% evaluation, while the claim for postoperative residuals of left knee injury was also granted with a 10% evaluation. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not established.

The VA denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to active service.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disability, characterized by pain and limitation of motion, meets the criteria for a 20 percent evaluation.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's overuse injury of the lumbosacral spine and maintained the 10 percent rating for his right knee injury.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disorder warrants a 20 percent rating, as there is no evidence of severe recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.

The Board has granted a rating of 30 percent for postoperative residuals of the right knee, effective from the date of the July 1994 rating decision. The initial rating of 20 percent for osteoarthritis of the right knee from March 1995 remains unchanged.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of an injury to the left shoulder, a right shoulder disorder, and a left knee disorder based on evidence showing these conditions are related to the veteran's active service.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder secondary to the veteran's service-connected right ankle disorder. The rating for residuals of an avulsion fracture of the right ankle remains at 20 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a back disorder and bilateral knee disorder, as well as entitlement to compensable evaluations for right and left shoulder disorders.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee, ankle, and elbow disabilities were denied by the RO. The RO assigned separate disability ratings of 10 percent each for these conditions.