Knee decisions — 2002

The Board found that the veteran's left knee disorder, including arthritis, was not incurred or aggravated by active service and is not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected right and left knee disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, stress fractures of both legs, and skin disorders. The RO found that the assigned ratings were appropriate based on the evidence of record.

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

The Board found that the veteran's disabilities, both service and nonservice-connected, prevented him from successfully pursuing a vocational rehabilitation program and becoming gainfully employed in an occupation consistent with his abilities, aptitudes, and interests. Therefore, the claim for retroactive payment of Chapter 31 benefits was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance, finding that there was no evidence showing his outergarments were irreparably damaged due to a service-connected condition or that he wore a prosthesis or orthopedic appliance that tended to wear out his clothing.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and a VA examination to assess the severity of her left knee disability. The case will be reviewed again to determine if a higher rating can be granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, left ankle disability, and anxiety disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back, right knee, and right hip disorders are not related to his service or a service-connected condition. However, he was granted service connection for residuals of a fracture of the right great toe with traumatic arthritic changes.

The Board finds that the veteran likely has current left hip disability manifested by pain and bony changes as a residual of an injury incurred during his period of service. The Board also finds it is at least as likely as not that he has current dyshidrotic eczema of the hands that developed during service.

The Board found no evidence of a bilateral knee injury or disease during active service, and the veteran's current bilateral knee disorder is not shown to be related to his service-connected left foot disability. Therefore, service connection for a bilateral knee condition was denied.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to lack of jurisdiction.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right knee disorder, finding that there was no basis to assign a higher schedular evaluation based on arthritis and limitation of motion.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing right knee condition did not increase in pathology beyond normal progression during his service, and thus denied service connection.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for a seizure disorder. The claims for service connection for psychiatric disability, degenerative joint disease of the spine, bilateral knee condition, and dental condition have been denied. The total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability was also denied.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of September 19, 1996 for a 10 percent evaluation of the left knee disability and found that new and material evidence supports reopening the claims for service connection for headaches and an acquired psychiatric disorder including depression.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for arthritis of bilateral knees, which was previously denied. The veteran's claim is now reopened.

The RO denied increased ratings for the veteran's left knee disability and gastroesophageal disorder. The RO granted a 20 percent rating for the left knee disability, effective from April 6, 1999.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of a left knee disorder characterized as epidermal wart of the left medial knee and an increased disability evaluation for residuals of a left (minor) shoulder injury with scar, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any incident thereof.