Knee decisions — 2005

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there is no current evidence of such a condition and noting that her complaints are not supported by medical evidence.

The veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis and residuals of a total right knee replacement, as well as initial evaluations for his shrapnel wound in the vicinity of the right knee, were denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his service or any incident therein.

The Board has granted a temporary total rating based on convalescence from August 8, 2000 to September 30, 2000. The veteran's service-connected right knee disorder is currently rated as 10 percent disabling since November 1, 2000.

The Board found that there is no current right knee disability and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities, including back, heart, right knee, and right eye disorders. The psychiatric disorder claim was also denied as secondary to other service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for her service-connected left knee contusion with patellofemoral degenerative joint disease, residuals of stress fractures of the left shin, and bilateral pes planus. The claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disability was also denied.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder and acne vulgaris, finding no current diagnosis of either condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the knees and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence to support these claims.

The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of an effective date earlier than February 8, 2001, for a 20 percent evaluation for internal derangement of the left knee with postoperative degenerative changes. The remaining issues were remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder, scoliosis, neck and shoulder spasms, back pain, and right wrist and hand disability. The evidence did not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's right knee injury and left knee degenerative joint disease, finding that the evidence did not support higher evaluations based on functional loss or other criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's request to waive recoupment of military severance pay from his VA disability compensation, as it is required by law.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection, finding no new and material evidence to reopen his claim. The appeal is therefore denied.

The Board has determined that a rating of 20 percent is warranted for the veteran's service-connected myositis of the lumbar paravertebral muscles, effective as of the date of this decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left knee disability had its onset in service and is therefore granted service connection for a left knee disorder. The right knee issue remains pending as it was not fully developed.

The veteran's service connection claims for left knee disability, blackouts, asthma, and chest and side pain have been denied as there is no diagnosed condition to support the claims.

The January 1982 rating decision denied the veteran's claim for entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The August 1993 rating decision granted TDIU but assigned an effective date of March 16, 1993. However, the veteran did not meet the statutory duration requirements for a total disability rating at the time of his death in April 2002.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, as his actual functional use of his ankles/feet is not so ineffective that it could be equally well served by an amputation.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying stressors.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for an examination to determine if the veteran's right knee disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.