Knee Board decisions

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The RO found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an increased rating in any of the conditions listed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records related to a left leg amputation and providing VA examinations. The claims will be reconsidered after this additional development.

Service connection for residuals of a left knee injury was granted effective February 12, 1992. The veteran's claim to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for vertigo was also granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and due process concerns, including obtaining an opinion on whether current ankle, knee, or back disabilities are aggravated by service-connected traumatic arthritis of the great toes.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for tinnitus, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and back disorder. The claim of service connection for hepatitis C is pending and will be remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis affecting his cervical and lumbosacral spines, knees, and ankles as secondary to his service-connected burn scars. The veteran was also denied increased ratings for his third degree burn scars of the posterior left lower extremity, right lower extremity, and chest/back area.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his service-connected conditions, including degenerative joint disease of the right knee, status post right anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, hypertension, and residuals of a left shoulder injury.

The veteran's left knee disability is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling due to degenerative changes with some pain on motion. The disability does not warrant a higher rating.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's right knee disability, currently rated at 20 percent. The evidence did not show severe impairment of the right knee.

The Board denied service connection for left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine disorders. The veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to March 2, 2005, with a staged increase to 70 percent thereafter.

The veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for a right knee disability, status post meniscectomy was denied due to his failure to report for the scheduled VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen his claim for service connection for a back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of a right knee disability and a back disability. The decision found no evidence linking these disabilities to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disorder due to lack of evidence of an in-service injury. The claim was granted for the dental disorder as it is considered a direct result of service, specifically the provision of a bridge during active duty.,Service connection for a bilateral knee disorder cannot be established because there are no current manifestations or diagnoses and separation examination did not show any abnormalities.

The Board previously denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders in August 1994. The veteran has submitted new evidence that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate his claim of entitlement to service connection for degenerative changes, right knee. His claim for a left knee disorder is not supported by the new evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disorder. The RO previously denied this claim in April 2001, finding no definitive evidence of a chronic bilateral knee condition. However, the veteran submitted additional evidence since then, including statements from himself and others, VA treatment records, and a transcript of his hearing testimony. This new evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The appeals are all based on reopening of previously denied claims, and the issues involve new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for further examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chondromalacia of the left knee and an initial, compensable rating for DJD of the left great toe. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) found that the veteran's left knee disability did not pre-exist service and was not aggravated by service. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.