Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current left knee disability and therefore, service connection for this condition cannot be granted.

The Board has granted a separate rating of 10 percent for the veteran's right knee instability, in addition to his current 10 percent rating for traumatic arthritis. The veteran is now rated at 20 percent overall for his right knee disability.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for chondromalacia of the right knee with osteoarthritis is August 4, 1993.

The veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability was denied as his claim is not supported by evidence showing he has been disabled since November 27, 1987. The effective date of the TDIU award remains December 2, 1999.

The Board denied the appellant's claim to reopen his right knee disorder service connection and also denied his eligibility for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding no medical evidence to support a link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a gunshot wound to Muscle Group XI (right knee) warrant a 30 percent disability rating, which is the maximum available under Diagnostic Code 5311. The veteran's foot drop secondary to his right knee injury also warrants a separate compensable disability rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected tinnitus, fungal infection of the hands and feet, and patellar femoral pain syndrome and recurrent dislocation of the left knee warrant a 10 percent evaluation each. The maximum schedular evaluation for these conditions is 10 percent.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for an increased evaluation of his right knee disability and service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board found that the veteran failed to report for a VA examination and did not provide adequate medical evidence of current disabilities. As such, service connection was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, diagnosed as arthralgia. The cervical spine and right knee disabilities are denied.

The Board has granted a higher 20 percent rating for the service-connected right knee disability, effective January 13, 1992. The veteran's claim for secondary service connection for a psychiatric disorder was denied.

The Board has determined that the earliest date of receipt for the veteran's increased rating claim is July 17, 1996. The effective date for a separate, compensable (10%) rating for service-connected scars, residual of right knee ACL reconstruction, is March 6, 2001.

The Board finds that the veteran's right and left knee meniscal diseases are currently rated at 20 percent each, but do not warrant a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities are service-connected. The ratings for these conditions have not been addressed in this decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, finding no evidence of in-service etiology and insufficient medical opinion to support secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability warrants a 20 percent evaluation from June 1, 1998. The previous evaluations of 30 percent (from January 1, 1998 to May 31, 1998) and 20 percent (prior to January 1, 1998) are maintained.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder and a right knee disorder, finding no evidence linking current conditions to service.

The Board denied increased evaluations for the veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on functional impairment or arthritis.

The veteran's claim for retroactive payment of VA clothing allowance benefits was denied as no formal claim was received prior to February 1994.