Knee Board decisions

The veteran's right knee disability, characterized by persistent pain, instability, and arthritis, has resulted in a pronounced functional impairment warranting a 40 percent rating.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently suffer from a bilateral knee disorder and denied her claim for service connection.

The VA denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of an injury of the right knee, concluding that there is no competent medical evidence linking his current right knee disability to his period of service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's right knee disabilities do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, right knee disability, and right hip disability, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain employment due to his severe arthritis.

The veteran's right knee disorder was rated at 30 percent prior to September 25, 1997. After a total knee replacement in 1997, the rating increased to 40 percent from January 5, 2000 onwards.,Postoperative residuals of a left knee meniscus tear with degenerative joint disease were rated at 10 percent since December 1996.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims of service connection for malaria and a left knee disability, finding that there is no current evidence to support these conditions or their relationship to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral knee condition was not incurred or aggravated by his brief period of active duty for training, and thus denied service connection. The claim is also denied as new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim.

The Board has determined that the September 1996 rating decision granting service connection for a bilateral knee disorder was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous, thus upholding the original grant of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's left thigh, knee, and foot disabilities. A noncompensable rating was assigned for residuals of keloid removal of scalp and folliculitis, effective November 1, 1992.

The Board has restored a 20 percent rating for service-connected chondromalacia of the left knee, finding that the reduction from 20 percent to 10 percent was not warranted.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for compensable evaluations for his service-connected shell fragment wounds to the left thigh and right knee, as well as his claim for jungle rot of the lower extremities with a right thigh abscess.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and a right knee disorder have been denied due to lack of well-grounded claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee condition, finding no evidence linking his current condition to his period of active service.

The Board has determined that the appellant is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and an amputation of one leg. As a result, he meets the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The RO assigned separate 10 percent ratings for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine with degenerative arthrosis and degenerative changes of the left knee, but did not grant any additional benefits.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral knee disorders. The veteran's current disability is considered to be related to his military service.

The veteran's left knee disability is found to be due to his service-connected left hip disability, and thus granted as secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that a 10 percent evaluation is warranted for the partial medial collateral ligament tear of the left knee, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 30 percent for arthritis of the right foot, finding that it meets the criteria for severe degenerative changes with recurrent exacerbations of swelling and pain. The other conditions have been rated based on their respective diagnostic codes.