Knee decisions — 2005

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a back disorder and denied his claims for initial ratings for Osgood-Schlatter disease with degenerative arthritis of both knees. The evidence submitted since the last final denial did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, back injury, left knee injury, and headache disorder. The evidence did not meet the criteria to reopen his previously denied claim for bilateral hearing loss. For the other conditions, there was no medical evidence showing a link between current disabilities and active service.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the veteran currently has knee disorders that are related to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for a combined rating in excess of 40 percent for his left knee disorder, finding that the evidence does not warrant such a rating.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for his service-connected right knee disorder, currently rated as 30 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of an in-service left knee injury and the veteran does not have a current disability. Therefore, service connection for the residuals of a left knee injury cannot be granted.

The veteran's right knee disorder was granted service connection in August 1991, but the appellant did not file a timely claim for accrued benefits based on this pending appeal. The appeal is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a left knee or back disability that is related to service, and specifically denies service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice, ineffective VA examination, and other procedural issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder disability is related to his period of active duty and granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's service connection claim for a bilateral knee disability is granted as the current mild degenerative joint disease of the knees was at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's left knee total replacement, currently rated at 60 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, as well as failure to establish a nexus between current hip and knee disabilities and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing records and examination.

The Board found that the veteran was at fault in creating the overpayment due to his failure to promptly report his receipt of benefits he was not entitled to. The Committee granted a partial waiver, reducing the overpayment from $8,484 to $2,000.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee, finding that the September 1985 rating decision was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete service records and potential need for medical examination.

The veteran's claim for glaucoma was denied as there is no evidence of current disability.,New and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the skin disorder claim, including as due to herbicide exposure. The existing evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for VA examinations and retrieval of pertinent records.

The veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left elbow injury, including arthritis, has been reopened and granted. His claim for an increased rating for synovitis of the left knee is also granted. The issue regarding TDIU remains unresolved.