Knee decisions — 2004

The Board denied service connection for left knee traumatic arthritis and retained foreign body, but granted service connection for chloracne due to presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disability did not develop during service and is not related to his military service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an orthopedic examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right knee disorder.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, bilateral arm and hand disorder, and bilateral knee and leg disorder. The RO previously denied these claims in October 1998 on both a direct and secondary basis.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current low back or left knee disability, and that any such disabilities are not related to his service-connected right knee disability.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected knee disabilities were denied as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions warranted a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied the claim of secondary service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that there is no evidence showing that the service-connected left knee disability caused or aggravated the right knee condition.

The claim for an increased evaluation of the veteran's postoperative right knee with degenerative joint disease was denied due to his failure to appear for VA compensation examinations.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right great toe and right knee disabilities are being remanded to the RO for further development, including additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee and left foot disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during service, nor are they presumed to have been incurred therein. The claims for service connection are denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the preexisting condition did not worsen during service and thus could not be considered aggravated.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and review of his claims file.

The veteran's service-connected conditions do not result in an employment handicap, and he has successfully maintained suitable employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee condition, increased ratings for his cervical spine and pes planus disabilities, and initial noncompensable rating and current 10 percent rating for bilateral pes planus. The veteran is not entitled to an increased rating for his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to incomplete notification and development under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA), as well as the need for a VA examination to address the etiology and severity of his right knee disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder in March 2000. The current decision finds that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen this claim.

The Board found that the appellant's preexisting thyroid disorder was not aggravated by her military service and denied her claim for service connection.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected internal derangement of the right knee, effective from the date of the July 1996 rating decision.

The veteran's appeal is about the initial evaluation for instability of the left knee. The case has been remanded due to a request for a hearing before the Board at a local RO.

The Board found clear and unmistakable error in the termination of the veteran's total rating based on individual unemployability, which was granted due to service-connected disabilities. The decision grants dependency and indemnity compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.