Knee decisions — 2000

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to uncertainty regarding the condition of his knees and the need for updated VA treatment records. The issue of service connection for a back condition and an ankle condition secondary to a bilateral knee disorder is also referred to the RO.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss and bilateral knee disability, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the hearing loss claim. The knee issues were found to be acute and transitory with no residual disability.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder and found it to be well grounded. The case is now ready for further review on its merits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and for increased initial evaluations of his low back, left thumb, left knee, and right knee disabilities. The veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for osteoarthritis of the left knee, elbow, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with left leg radiculopathy. However, the evidence does not establish a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection of right knee disability and a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee disability.

The Board has granted a 30% rating for post-surgical cartilage and ligament disorders of the right knee, with laxity.

The Board has granted a 10% rating for the veteran's left knee disorder, finding that it is manifested by slight knee disability. The veteran was previously rated at zero percent.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current conditions to service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The claims were therefore denied as not well grounded.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability on a secondary basis, and his claims for increased ratings for residuals of a stress reaction of the left ankle and for a compensable evaluation for status post fracture of the left great toe.

The Board has granted increased ratings of 30 percent each for the veteran's left and right knee disabilities, finding that his overall level of disability in these conditions has worsened.

The Board has determined that the appellant's left knee disorder preexisted service and did not worsen during active duty for training, thus denying his claim of entitlement to service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for disabilities of the feet and knees are not well grounded, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of active military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right thigh disability and bilateral knee disabilities. The denial is based on a finding that there is no evidence to support the veteran's claims of secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, currently rated at 30 percent disabling, does not warrant a higher rating as his range of motion is limited to no more than 15 degrees of extension and he does not have any evidence of arthritis or nonunion of the tibia and fibula requiring a brace.

The Board has determined that there is no service connection for the claimed residuals of a fall, including left knee, left hip, right shoulder conditions, compression fracture of T-12, and arthritis of the lumbosacral spine. The veteran's conditions are not related to an incident of service or to a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee condition, but the veteran is seeking an increased rating. The case is being remanded to determine if there is arthritis of the left knee and whether a separate rating should be assigned.

The veteran's initial evaluations for tinea pedis with fungus of the toenails and right knee disability were denied as they did not reflect the extent of his disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right and left knee disabilities, finding that the current 20 percent ratings adequately reflected the severity of his service-connected knee conditions.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and bilateral hip disorder are not well grounded.,However, new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a bilateral foot disability.