Knee decisions — 2002

The veteran's case is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a hearing before another Member of the Board at the RO.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus and a left knee disability, finding no competent medical evidence of these conditions until many years after service. The Board also found no causal link between any incident of service and these disabilities.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for postoperative meniscectomy of the right knee was denied as a matter of law due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the left clavicle disability effective February 3, 1993. The veteran's claim for an increased rating of his left knee disability is also granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, including his post-operative surgeries and arthritis, warrants a 30 percent rating for the periods of June 1, 1997 through December 11, 1997 and February 1, 1998 through June 18, 2001. For the period March 25, 1997 through June 18, 2001, a separate 30 percent rating for traumatic arthritis of the left knee is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and left knee disorders due to a lack of evidence showing current disabilities related to service.

The veteran's service-connected right knee conditions are currently rated at 20% and 10%, respectively, but the Board finds that these ratings do not meet his claim for increased disability.

The Board has granted a rating of 40 percent for the veteran's residuals of femoral neck fracture of the right hip, effective from September 22, 2001. The claim for increased ratings for his right knee disability and withdrawal of appeal for scarring due to nasal fracture are also addressed.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a knee disability, finding that there was no chronic left or right knee condition in service and no evidence linking any current knee disability to service.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot proceed with the merits of this case as he is no longer alive.

The veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been increased to 20% and 30%, respectively, effective January 11, 2000.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, concluding that it existed prior to service and was not aggravated in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's arthritis of the right knee, both hips, back, and right shoulder is not related to service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and a back disorder. The claim of residuals of a left foot injury is denied.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current left knee disorder and denied her claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for viral hepatitis B, a bilateral knee disorder, and residuals of viral meningoencephalitis with mild memory impairment, mild expressive aphasia, and headaches. The back disability is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board has granted service connection for back disability, duodenal ulcer, and left knee disorder. The initial ratings have been adjusted to reflect the severity of each condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right and left knee disabilities, cervical spine disability, headaches, and ganglion cyst of the wrist. The appeals were based on direct service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there is no competent medical evidence linking his current condition to any incident during service.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic knee disability or hemorrhoids in service and denied the veteran's claims for service connection.