Knee decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and bilateral hip disorders, secondary to his service-connected postoperative residuals of a right tibia and fibula fracture, are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his service-connected disability.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and pes planus, finding that new evidence supports these claims. However, the claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the spine remains denied as there is no competent evidence relating this condition to service.

The veteran's tinnitus is granted as secondary to his service-connected hearing loss. The ratings for Dupuytren's contractures of the left and right hands are maintained at 30 percent each, with no change in rating assigned for arthritis involving the right knee.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are not well grounded as there is no medical evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's torn posterior horn, medial meniscus, right knee is related to his period of service and granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability is not well-grounded and therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the claims of service connection for right knee, right shoulder, and right arm and elbow disorders must be remanded to obtain additional development.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for DJD of both knees and the left hip secondary to residuals of a shrapnel wound of the right great toe is not well-grounded.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and a right knee disorder, both secondary to his service-connected right thigh wound. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were directly related to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The veteran's case is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a 'Travel Board' hearing at the Philadelphia Regional Office and Insurance Center.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current knee disability is not attributable to military service or an already service-connected disability, and thus his claim for service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, to include degenerative arthritis. The denial is based on insufficient evidence regarding the veteran's periods of active duty and treatment records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations of his service-connected right knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and thoracic spine disorder are not well grounded. The preponderance of evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of the currently assigned ratings.

The veteran's claim for service connection for neuralgia, paresthesia of the left leg is denied as his claim lacks sufficient evidence to support a finding that he has a current disability and that it is related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his right elbow disability and service connection for traumatic arthritis of the knees, ankles, and back. The right elbow disorder is rated at 20 percent disabling under the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hemophilia, back disability, and left knee disability. The decision also noted that a new issue of entitlement to service connection for depression was referred to the RO&IC.

The RO denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbar spine disk disease and granted a 10 percent evaluation for bursitis of the left hip. The service connection claim for arthritis of the cervical spine, claimed as secondary to right knee disability, was found not well grounded.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for mechanical low back pain and degenerative joint disease of the left knee were not well-grounded, as there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to his period of active military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, which includes post-operative residuals of a meniscectomy and degenerative joint disease, is currently rated at 10 percent. The evidence does not support an increase in this rating.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected left knee osteoarthritis, finding that a higher rating was not warranted based on the evidence of record.