Knee decisions — 2008

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records from Dr. G. and securing medical opinions regarding the etiology of the veteran's left knee and low back disabilities.

The Board found that the interruption and subsequent discontinuance of vocational rehabilitation benefits under Chapter 31 was proper due to unsatisfactory conduct and cooperation by the veteran.

The Board has remanded the veteran's appeal due to incomplete notice and lack of verification regarding combat involvement. The case will be returned for further development.

The veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hand and knee disabilities, which he claims are related to his military service. The Board finds the need for additional examinations to determine if these conditions are related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The veteran's service-connected conditions do not result in loss of use of one or both feet, hands, or substantial vision. Therefore, he is denied financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders, but it remains to be determined whether these conditions are related to his service-connected low back disorder or if they were caused by other factors.

The Board has denied the request to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability, finding that no new and material evidence has been submitted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and increased evaluation of his left knee disorder, as well as determined there was no errors in the historical rating decisions. The veteran's right knee disability is not related to service or a service-connected condition, while his left knee disorder warrants a 10% evaluation from July 20, 2005 to December 28, 2007 and a 20% evaluation thereafter.

The Board has remanded both issues for further development and consideration of the evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various knee, ankle, and back disabilities due to a lack of new and material evidence.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee condition, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current left knee disability and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities, finding that there was no evidence showing a direct relationship between these conditions and his active military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of service connection for right knee tendonitis, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings of his left knee disability and service connection for tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for the period before June 21, 2005 or on and after that date.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee, left knee, and right hip disabilities due to lack of evidence relating these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's post-operative left knee lateral meniscus tear does not warrant an increased disability rating beyond the currently assigned 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disability and right knee strain are not related to his military service, and thus denied these claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there is no competent evidence linking his current right knee condition to his military service.

The Board finds that the veteran's left knee disability is not service-connected, and his claims for tinea pedis were granted with an effective date of October 22, 2003. The initial evaluation for tinea pedis was assigned a 10 percent rating.

The Board finds that the veteran's left knee disability is not related to his military service or his service-connected right knee disability, and thus denies the claim for secondary service connection.