Knee decisions — 2000

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected left knee disorder, effective from the date of this decision. The rating for post-traumatic arthritis of the left knee remains at 10 percent.

The veteran's appeal for an increased rating for residuals of a left knee laceration was dismissed because no timely Substantive Appeal was filed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depression, and a left knee disorder are not well-grounded. The evidence does not establish a nexus between current psychiatric or knee problems and service.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for a right knee disability is not well grounded and thus denied. The issue of an increased rating for the left shoulder disability remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed disabilities, including a bilateral ankle disability, head injury, right arm condition, headaches, and bilateral knee condition. The claims were not well-grounded due to lack of current diagnosis.

The appellant has withdrawn their appeal, and the case is dismissed without prejudice.

The Board finds that there is not a reasonable possibility of valid claims concerning the veteran's claimed disabilities, including hypothyroidism, hemorrhoids, bilateral eye disability, bilateral shoulder and knee disabilities, asthma, low back disability, hypoglycemia, bilateral hand and ankle disabilities, gastrointestinal disability, acquired cognitive disorder, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and residuals of Epstein-Barr virus infection. These conditions are not shown to be related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic acquired low back disorder and arthritis of the right knee as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The appeals were not well-grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection of a back condition, hypertension, left knee disability, mental illness, and asthma/bronchial disorder are not well grounded. The evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and his active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability and postoperative status subtotal gastrectomy for chronic peptic ulcer disease do not warrant evaluations in excess of the assigned ratings.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back injury. The right knee evaluation remains at 20% due to residual symptoms, but the veteran's appeal is mixed as some issues were granted while others were denied.

The VA has determined that the veteran's right knee disability, which includes multiple surgeries and postoperative status, warrants a 20 percent rating. The current 20 percent rating is denied as it does not meet criteria for an increased rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a right shoulder, right knee, or back disorder related to service. The episodes of loss of awareness are also not considered service-connected.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current right or left knee disorders to service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling VA examinations and considering new evidence.

The Board denied all claims for increased evaluations as the evidence did not support higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes. The veteran's conditions were evaluated based on their current manifestations without any indication of aggravation or additional disability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings of his left and right leg disabilities were denied, but he was granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder (schizophrenia).

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorder and low back disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The appellant seeks an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral intermittent knee hydroarthrosis, currently rated at 10 percent. The RO is directed to obtain VA clinical records and provide the appellant with a VA orthopedic examination to assess the current nature and severity of his left and right knee disabilities. Separate disability evaluations should be assigned for each knee.

The veteran's left knee disorder, post-operative status, results in severe disability and warrants a 30 percent rating.