Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted an increased rating of 30 percent for internal derangement of the left knee and a separate 10 percent evaluation for degenerative arthritis, effective March 26, 1999. The veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder is rated at 30 percent disabling since January 1999.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic acquired disorder of the right knee as secondary to service-connected DJD of the left knee with PO valgus osteotomy and total knee replacement, and for a back disorder also as secondary to this same condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder as secondary to his service-connected right medial meniscectomy, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder with joint space narrowing is not well grounded due to lack of evidence linking current disability to service.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal, finding that the previous rating actions denying a compensable rating for his service-connected left knee disorder were final and did not contain CUE.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral knee disability and bilateral hallux valgus with post-operative bunions are service-connected.

The Board finds that the veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, loss of body hair, and gastrointestinal disability (claimed as vomiting) are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has found that the veteran's right knee disability warrants a 20 percent rating, but not higher. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen his claim for service connection for a right ankle disorder secondary to his right knee disability is remanded.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a sprain of the left knee due to new and material evidence submitted since the final January 1956 rating decision. The claim is well grounded as there is competent medical evidence linking current left knee disability to an injury in service.

The VA determined that the veteran did not require convalescence from his right knee surgery beyond October 31, 1998.

The Board finds that the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disorders is well grounded, and the appeal is granted only to that extent.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral ankle condition, bilateral knee condition, back condition, and alopecia were all denied. The RO found no current evidence of these conditions related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection claim for a bilateral knee disorder is granted, as there is evidence of chronicity in service and continuity of symptomatology after discharge.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for a left knee disability should be March 7, 1975. The veteran's claim was received within one year of her separation from service.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting right hand burn residuals were aggravated by active military duty, and granted service connection for this condition. The initial evaluation for degenerative disc disease with disc herniation at L4-L5 level was granted at a 60 percent rating. The claim for an increased evaluation for chondromalacia of the right knee was denied.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that there is no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current left knee disability to an incident of service, and thus the claim for service connection is denied.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right knee and left foot disabilities were denied. The Board found that the current manifestations did not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for postoperative residuals of a right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support such an increase.

The Board has granted increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the hands, hips, and left knee. The veteran now receives a 10 percent disability rating for each affected hand, and a compensable (10%) rating for each hip and left knee.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, respiratory disorder to include asthma, bilateral foot disorder to include bone spurs of the heels, and bilateral ankle disability. Service connection was denied for right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, right knee condition, and headaches.