Knee decisions — 2000

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, bilateral hand pain, and shortness of breath (claimed as due to asbestos exposure). The claim for a low back disorder is pending. No new evidence was presented to reopen the previously denied claims for a bilateral knee disorder or right ankle disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the left knee, arthritis of the hips, a psychiatric disorder, and a cardiac disorder are not well grounded. The evidence does not establish a nexus between these conditions and disease or injury during service.

The Board found that the veteran did not have a current diagnosis of bilateral ankle or knee disabilities and thus denied her claims for service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left knee, right knee, left hip, and low back disorders are all of service origin. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed right knee injury and dissatisfaction with the initial rating of 10% for low back strain. The veteran's current symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection due to lack of objective medical evidence supporting his claimed conditions and because the issues were not well-grounded.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic acquired disorder of the left knee as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability was not well-grounded and denied it.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including paralysis of the left peroneal nerve and left total knee replacement, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has determined that he meets the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected conditions.

The veteran's request for an increased rating for his service-connected right knee disability is being remanded due to the failure to report for a scheduled Travel Board hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after rescheduling the hearing.

The Board has denied the veteran's request to restore a 10% disability evaluation for post-traumatic pain of the left knee with medial collateral ligamentous strain, finding that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to lack of a timely substantive appeal and denied service connection for various conditions.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is granted with a 100% evaluation, and his claims for residuals of right middle finger injury, left ankle injury, and left knee injury are denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of subluxation or lateral instability and insufficient limitation of motion to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the appellant's residuals of a right knee injury are related to service and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for a left knee disability is remanded for additional development.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing.

The veteran's combined service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from a substantially gainful occupation.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including consideration of whether separate evaluations are warranted for arthritis and neurological involvement.

The veteran's service-connected chondromalacia of the left knee with traumatic arthritis and fractured right medial malleolus have been rated at 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively, since January 25, 1993.

The veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities have been rated at 20 percent each, but the evidence does not support ratings higher than this.