Knee Board decisions

The veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 40 percent, effective June 2, 1995. The lumbar spine disability remains at a 40 percent rating from the same date. The dorsal spine and right knee disabilities are both rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's service-connected total right knee arthroplasty is currently evaluated at 30 percent, which the RO has maintained. The evidence does not show severe painful motion or weakness that would warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development and readjudication, including obtaining additional medical records and conducting comprehensive VA specialty examinations.

The veteran's post-traumatic degenerative arthritis of the left knee with status post meniscectomy is currently receiving a maximum schedular rating of 30 percent. The Board has granted an additional 30 percent evaluation, bringing the total to 60 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 23, 1998 for a 20% evaluation for chondromalacia, right knee.

The veteran's arthritis of the right and left knees do not warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and initial compensable ratings for his cervical spine disorder, bilateral compartment syndrome, recurrent knee strains, chronic ankle strain, and right ankle fracture. The appeals were based on direct service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his postoperative residuals of a right knee injury is being remanded to the RO for further evaluation and consideration.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the service-connected residuals of shrapnel fragment wound to the right mandible. The claim for an increased rating for the left knee scar remains pending.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities. The RO found that he met the schedular criteria for such a rating, but the examinations did not address whether his unemployability was solely due to his service-connected conditions.

The veteran's claims for service connection for low back, right left knee, and left knee disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional development including a VA examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and a back disorder, finding that no new and material evidence was submitted.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disorder. The claim will now be reviewed on its merits.

The Board has remanded the case to further consider service connection for residuals of a left knee injury due to inadequate reasons and bases in its July 1999 decision, including not discussing specific medical evidence from Dr. S., making a bare conclusory statement regarding VA examiners' opinions, and finding that the January 1998 examination was inadequate.

The veteran's knee disabilities, including postoperative left and right knees, degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees, are currently rated at 20 percent each under Diagnostic Codes 5257 (instability) and 5261/5260 (range of motion).

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to a significant change in the law and the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the appeals for higher initial evaluations were also denied. The veteran was granted a reopening of his claim for irritable bowel syndrome on new evidence.

The veteran's service-connected sinusitis is manifested by more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year, warranting a 30 percent disability evaluation.

The Board denied a request for an effective date earlier than December 15, 1998 for the grant of service connection for traumatic arthritis of the right knee. The veteran's claim was reopened in March 1999 with new and material evidence, but the effective date was assigned as March 1, 1999.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for the veteran's symptomatic left knee with chondromalacia, effective from February 1, 1998.