Knee decisions — 2008

The Board found no evidence of a right knee or right foot disorder during service, and the current disorders are not shown to be related to service.,The veteran's right foot disorder is presumed to have been incurred in service.

The veteran's service-connected left knee disability, which was rated as 10 percent disabling, is not shown to warrant a higher rating. The current level of functional impairment does not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current bilateral knee disability to his military service, including combat injuries or post-service industrial accidents. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, arthritis of the right shoulder and left hip/knee joints, as well as other conditions. The veteran's current joint problems are not related to his period of active service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an increased amount of dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1311(a)(2), finding that she did not have legal entitlement to enhanced DIC benefits due to a service-connected disability rated totally disabling for at least eight years immediately preceding her husband's death.

The Board found that the appellant's injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident on August 12, 1967 were incurred in the line of duty and granted service connection for right hip and right knee disabilities.

The claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at St. Cloud Hospital from September 21, 1988 to October 21, 1988 has been fully satisfied and the benefits sought have been granted in full.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic headaches, bilateral knee disorders, left shoulder disorder, and a left hand disorder. The veteran's claims are pending for the other issues.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder disability, neck disability, back disability, and right knee disability have been denied. The Board found that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral shoulder disability. For the other conditions, the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding of service connection.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, including left shoulder disorder, low back disorder, right knee disorder and left knee disorder.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee chondromalacia, finding that the current 10 percent ratings adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left lower extremity injury and resulting below-the-knee amputation were not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or similar fault. The claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for reflex sympathetic dystrophy, osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, and neuropathy due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a back injury, left knee disability, and left ankle disability due to lack of medical evidence establishing a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left shoulder, and low back disabilities due to the presumption that these conditions existed prior to service. The veteran's current complaints of pain do not constitute a disability warranting service connection.

The veteran's appeal is about the evaluation for his right knee injury, meniscal tear. The RO has requested a videoconference hearing and will return the case to the Board after scheduling.

The veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees have been previously denied. The RO is instructed to send a VCAA notice letter correcting the previous denials, as well as obtain SSA records related to his disability benefits claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations for her right shoulder and right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee disorder and low back disorder secondary to service-connected pes planus, but denied service connection for sleep apnea.

The veteran is seeking an increased evaluation for his service-connected left knee injury with symptomatic chondromalacia of the patella and synovitis. The RO/AMC must obtain SSA records, including a copy of the decision granting Social Security disability benefits and the supporting medical documents on which the decision was based.