Knee decisions — 2003

The veteran's claim of service connection for a knee disability was denied in June 1994. The Board remanded the matter to the RO for further evidentiary development, and subsequently denied it again in February 2002. The Court vacated the Board's decision and remanded the case for readjudication.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to issues related to service connection for a back disorder and bilateral knee disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left knee disorder, diagnosed as laxity of the medial collateral ligaments, is linked to a traumatic injury sustained in active service. As such, the claim for service connection for this condition is granted.

Your appeal is being remanded for further development by the RO.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied due to his failure, without good cause, to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has ordered further development due to the need for additional evidence and clarification. The case is now being remanded back to the RO for specific actions, including obtaining x-ray reports and arranging for an orthopedic examination.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending requests for evidence. The case will be returned to the RO for additional development and consideration.

The Board has ordered further development in the veteran's case due to pending issues regarding service connection for left knee and back disorders. The appeal is currently remanded for additional development of medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims regarding effective dates and ratings for his service-connected knee and back conditions, as well as a claim to reopen a hypertension secondary to his right knee injury.

The case is being remanded to the RO for further action regarding increased ratings and secondary service connection claims due to incomplete information and need for additional medical examinations.

The veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities are rated based on their specific manifestations, with the right knee primarily evaluated for instability or subluxation and the left knee for pain and arthritis. The decision is mixed as some issues have been granted while others remain unresolved.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for his right knee disorder and a retroactive effective date, finding that the evidence did not support ratings higher than 30 percent. The case was remanded to consider additional development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to February 23, 2000 rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his physical incapacity.

The Board has ordered further development in the veteran's case, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations. The appeal is currently pending due to the need for additional evidence.

The Board has granted an effective date of June 13, 2000 for a 20 percent rating for right knee instability and August 2, 1996 for service connection. The combined rating is 30 percent. However, the TDIU claim was denied as there are no service-connected disabilities that meet the criteria for a TDIU rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a hiatal hernia or left knee disorder that is related to service. The claim for hiatal hernia was denied as there is no medical evidence linking current disability to service, and the claim for left knee disorder was denied due to lack of objective findings in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disorder was aggravated during his active service. The Board is granting service connection for this condition, as it resulted from a pre-existing condition that worsened during service.

The Board has remanded the case for compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000, including providing adequate notice and conducting VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's right knee disability and defective vision.

The VA has denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee, left foot, and right foot disabilities. The RO assigned a zero percent disability rating for each of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed kidney, bilateral knee, bilateral foot, right hand, and right wrist disabilities are not related to his active service or exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.