Knee decisions — 2002

The veteran was granted a clothing allowance for the years 1993, 1994 and 1995 due to his service-connected right knee disability. The appeal regarding PTSD is deferred until further development is completed.

The Board has granted increased ratings for service-connected chondromalacia of the right and left knees, with separate ratings for arthritis in each knee.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a left knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder and low back disorder, finding no evidence of such conditions during or after service. The claim to reopen the right hand rash was not granted as new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board denied the veteran's application to reopen his claim of service connection for a left knee disability, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board found no evidence of a right knee disorder or bilateral ankle weakness as a result of military service and denied the veteran's claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chondromalacia of the right knee was incurred in service and granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings and extensions of his total disability rating due to knee surgery were denied. The left knee disorder was rated as 20 percent disabling from December 16, 1992, until January 1, 1998.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for low back and left knee disorders, as well as granted service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder. The effective date remains unchanged at March 22, 2001.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for the veteran's right knee disorder from April 1991 to January 2002, finding that the evidence did not support such an increase.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of a gunshot wound of the abdomen are rated at 30 percent, effective from February 3, 1979. The left ankle fracture with arthritis is rated at 10 percent, effective from May 20, 1993. Osgood-Schlatter disease of the left knee remains rated at 10 percent.

The VA has determined that the veteran's left knee disorder warrants a 20 percent evaluation, effective from the date of his claim. The issue regarding an earlier effective date for this evaluation remains pending.

The Board has determined that the effective date for a 10 percent evaluation for patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee is April 20, 2000.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a skin disorder, left knee disorder, hearing loss, gastrointestinal disorder, hypertension, and prostate dysfunction. The veteran's claims were based on direct service connection without any presumption or secondary theory.

The appeal has been dismissed due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee, finding that it is due to an injury sustained during active military service.

The Board found that the veteran's amputation of the left leg below the knee was not caused by VA treatment, and thus denied his claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current manifestations of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents, and for a right knee condition as secondary to the veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for chronic cervical spine, low back and right knee disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active military service. The veteran's headaches are rated at 10 percent since October 30, 1997.