Knee decisions — 2000

The VA determined that the veteran's left knee scar does not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent, as there is no evidence of significant functional impairment or additional disability beyond what is already accounted for by the existing 10 percent rating.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection and secondary service connection were not well-grounded, thus denying both claims.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and assigned a 10% disability rating. The claims for arthritis of the hands and knees, arthritis of the knees, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic low back strain, and residuals of fractures to three bones of the left foot have all been granted with appropriate disability ratings.

The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected conditions have been denied. The RO has maintained the current evaluations, which are considered adequate to compensate the veteran for his disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine if any of the veteran's claimed conditions are related to service.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well grounded, as there was no competent medical evidence linking his current conditions to service.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a medial meniscectomy of the right knee, finding that his current symptoms are more severe than previously evaluated.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the veteran not filing a timely and proper substantive appeal for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a left knee injury status post total knee arthroplasty.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations of his service-connected conditions, including hypertension and right eye disability. The lumbosacral strain claim was partially granted with a 10 percent evaluation from August 30, 1996 to October 30, 1998, and a 40 percent evaluation thereafter.

The veteran's request for a personal hearing has been scheduled, and the case is being remanded due to his incarceration. Additionally, service connection on secondary basis for a chronic back disability needs to be addressed with an SOC.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disability secondary to the veteran's service-connected Crohn's disease. The effective date of this award is March 31, 1994, as it was received on that day after the original claim for service connection for Crohn's disease.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD warrants a 50 percent disability rating, effective from May 1998. The right knee condition remains in dispute and is not currently granted.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The claims for reopening service connection for right and left knee disabilities are moot.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for nodular rheumatoid arthritis and increased disability evaluations for trench foot and cold injury residuals, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right knee disability was granted, with a current rating of 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 30% rating effective from March 12, 1997. The appellant's earlier claim seeking service connection for PTSD was not well-grounded due to the failure of proper notice regarding the July 1994 denial.

The veteran's claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development.

The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for traumatic arthritis of the right knee with objective evidence of pain on motion, but denied an increased rating for instability of the right knee.

The veteran's arthritis of the right knee, left knee, and right shoulder are all service-connected.,Increased ratings for arthralgia of the right knee and left knee have been granted.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for right hip disability secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.