Knee Board decisions

The Board denied the claims for increased evaluations and eligibility for educational assistance, finding no new evidence to reopen service connection claims or establish entitlement. The low back condition was rated as noncompensable, chondromalacia of both knees as noncompensable, residuals of a left foot scar as noncompensable, and hallux valgus on the right as 10 percent disabling for purposes of accrued benefits.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for chronic left shoulder disability is denied.,The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right knee disability and entitlement to TDIU are granted, with the effective dates being August 18, 1997, and November 6, 1996 respectively.,The veteran was found unemployable due to service-connected disabilities as of November 6, 1996.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disorder is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected right knee disorder and/or pes planus, thus denying the claim for secondary service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee injury, finding no evidence of current disability resulting from an in-service injury.

The VA has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected left knee injury, effective from March 2, 2000. The veteran is seeking an increased rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability and increased evaluations of his knee disabilities. The cervical spine disorder is not considered to be secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected left knee disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim is more accurately characterized as seeking service connection for degenerative joint disease, left knee, secondary to his service-connected right leg disability. The RO denied this claim in February 2000.

The Board has determined that the veteran currently has right knee and right ankle strain, which were incurred in service. The claim for left ankle strain is remanded. Post-traumatic headaches are also granted. Service connection for lumbosacral strain was not established.

The Board denied claims for secondary service connection for a right hip disability, whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for secondary service connection for a right knee disability, and an increased rating for the left knee disability.

The veteran's post-operative right knee arthroplasty is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting disabilities, including fractures and contusions sustained in a 1979 accident prior to service, did not worsen during his active duty. Therefore, he was denied service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including arthritis of the lumbar spine with DDD, left and right knee and ankle arthritides, as well as postoperative foot disabilities, have been granted increased evaluations.

The VA determined that the appellant's service-connected left knee prosthesis was no more than 30 percent disabling from September 1, 1996 to June 4, 1998.

The appellant's service-connected right knee disability is currently rated at 10% for arthritis and injury with limited range of motion. Service connection for degenerative joint disease in the left knee was denied as there is no competent medical evidence attributing this condition to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right foot, ankle, and knee disorders are not service-connected. However, the veteran's follicular dermatitis and eczema have been rated at 10 percent since September 2000.

The veteran's service-connected left hip dislocation, low back degenerative joint disease, and left knee arthritis are all rated at 20 percent. The RO has granted increased ratings for these conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right thigh shell fragment wound residuals and left knee shell fragment wound residuals including traumatic arthritis and retained metallic foreign bodies.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disability and granted service connection for a duodenal ulcer with partial stomach removal. The right knee disability is considered incurred in active service, while the left knee disability is not. Service connection for the duodenal ulcer is established based on a statutory presumption due to its onset within one year of discharge.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral patellofemoral syndrome is not causally related to his service in the military, and thus denied his claim for service connection.