Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, claimed as secondary to his service-connected scar, residual of chip fracture, distal anterior tibia, left leg. The RO is instructed to take additional action including notifying the veteran and his attorney about records from Dr. Swift that were reportedly destroyed by Mayo Regional Hospital.

The Board found that the appellant does not have a current right knee disability and denied service connection for both right knee and low back disabilities. The low back disability was not incurred or aggravated by active military service, nor is it proximately due to any service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disorder is service-connected, while his left knee disorder remains unresolved.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's left knee and left shoulder disabilities, finding that these conditions are due to injury in service.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the veteran's death, and thus has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the claim.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the veteran's death, and thus has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new examination to assess the current state of his left knee disorder and whether it is related to his service-connected right knee disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back strain, incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve in both lower extremities, and patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the current rating decision denying a TDIU is not final and requires further development to ensure compliance with VA's duty to assist. The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic lumbosacral strain, residuals of injury of the left knee with traumatic arthritis, bronchial asthma, and tinnitus, are being evaluated for their impact on his employability.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his right knee disability is being remanded due to the worsening of his condition and the need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a right knee disorder, or tinnitus. The claims are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed left and right knee disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during active duty or within one year of separation, and there is no evidence of chronicity after discharge.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current right wrist condition and denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for right knee disability as secondary to a gunshot wound should be June 20, 1986. The veteran's claim was not adequately addressed and notified in prior decisions.

The Board granted increased ratings of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the right knee, residuals of right knee surgery with insufficient ligament, and residuals of right wrist injury with surgery and arthritic change.

The Board has determined that the evidence submitted subsequent to the November 1998 denial is not new and material, thus denying the reopening of the claim for service connection for a left knee disability.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim of service connection for mixed bipolar disorder as secondary to her service-connected left knee disability. The issue of an increased evaluation for her left knee disability remains pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and a back disability, finding no evidence of a nexus between his current diagnoses and his period of active duty.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and low back disorder are denied. The claim for service connection of the left knee disorder is not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection for the right knee disorder is also denied. A low back disorder claim remains pending as further evaluation is required.