Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not meet the criteria for reopening the claims of service connection for right knee and right ankle disabilities, as well as the claim for urinary infection or epididymitis. The RO's decisions remain final.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence of current disabilities for the claimed conditions, and thus the veteran's claims for service connection are not well grounded.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for osteoarthritis of the left knee is denied. The claim for service connection for arthritis of the right wrist is also denied as there is no evidence linking it to service.

The Board finds that the veteran's chondromalacia patella, left knee, was incurred in service and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee and back disabilities were denied. The RO assigned noncompensable disability ratings initially, which have now been increased to 10 percent effective December 1, 1997.

The Board granted an increase in disability compensation for service-connected chondromalacia of the left and right knees with traumatic arthritis, effective from July 16, 1986. The veteran is now eligible to receive attorney fees based on past-due benefits resulting from this award.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for left hip disorder, left knee disorder, and diabetes mellitus are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology related to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, characterized by pain on motion and mild to moderate degenerative changes, warrants a 10 percent evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, increased evaluation for chondromalacia of the left knee, compensable evaluation for epigastric ventral hernia, and an increased rating for migraine headaches. The RO assigned a 10% disability rating for chondromalacia of the left knee under Diagnostic Code 5010 (traumatic arthritis).

The Board found that the veteran's current low back, right knee, and right hip disorders are not related to his period of active service or his residuals of a right great toe fracture. The claims for these conditions were therefore denied as not well-grounded.

The VA determined that the veteran's right knee disorder did not warrant an increased rating prior to July 31, 1999 and denied his claim for a permanent and total disability rating for non-service connected pension purposes.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his 100% schedular rating from November 24, 1997 to January 1, 1999 precluded a TDIU claim.

The Board found that the veteran's substantive appeal was timely filed, and thus granted his claims for service connection for right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and right ankle disorder. The claim for an increased rating for psoriasis remains pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his right knee disability and for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The veteran was found not to meet the percentage requirements for TDIU, and there is no evidence of exceptional or unusual circumstances warranting extra-schedular consideration.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations related to her right shoulder, thumb, arm, wrist, left knee, and TMJ disorders. The issues were adjudicated as part of a larger appeal regarding de Quervain's syndrome.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims of service connection for a left ankle disability and a left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is not well grounded, as there is no evidence connecting the current disability to disease or injury during service. The claim is therefore denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a chronic bilateral knee disability, bilateral otitis externa and left otitis media, a left varicocele, and a right-sided pulmonary embolus, tachycardia, and deep venous thrombosis of the left leg as secondary to his service-connected chronic ligament injury of the left ankle.

The veteran's claims for service connection for back and bilateral knee disabilities are not well-grounded, as there is no evidence of current disability.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected postoperative anterior cruciate ligament tear, left knee. The claim for an increased rating for his service-connected postoperative left knee, crepitation/chondromalacia/degenerative joint disease was denied.