Knee Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a left knee condition, finding no new and material evidence to reopen these claims.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The RO found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations for his back and left knee disabilities, and determined that any bone spurs and arthritis of the left foot were not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected back and left knee disabilities.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for PTSD, a low back condition, a right knee disability, and tinnitus as there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disorder is a result of his service and granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and evaluations for his right knee disability, arthritis of the right knee, and low back disabilities due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including residuals of a shell fragment wound to the back, right knee disability, residuals of a shell fragment wound to the left hip, and residuals of a shell fragment wound to the left hand, are not service-connected. The decision also found that trochanter bursitis of the left hip is related to military service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him so helpless as to be unable to care for himself or protect himself from the dangers or hazards incident to his daily environment, and he is not substantially confined to his dwelling and premises due to service-connected disabilities. Therefore, special monthly compensation based on the need of regular aid and attendance of another person or by reason of being housebound has been denied.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise such that a grant of service connection for a left knee disability, including degenerative joint disease, as secondary to the veteran's service-connected right knee disability is warranted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbosacral spine disorder, left knee arthritis, left hip arthritis, and left ankle arthritis.

The Board found no evidence of any shoulder or knee injury in service and concluded that the veteran's current arthritis is not related to his military service.

The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back disorder. However, there is no indication that the veteran has a current knee disability or any other condition related to his military service.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, finding no evidence of such condition in service or within one year after service and no nexus between current chondrocalcinosis and degenerative joint disease of the knees and active service.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities. The left ring finger disability was also not rated as compensable.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and arranging for VA examinations. The issues of increased ratings for knee disabilities and service connection on a secondary basis for gastrointestinal disability remain on appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the knees, feet, shoulders, and wrists, finding no evidence that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an extension of a temporary total evaluation beyond March 1, 1999 based on surgery for his service-connected left knee disability. The evidence showed that the veteran was still experiencing pain and functional limitations after multiple surgeries in July 1998, but not to the extent that he required additional convalescence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected post-operative chondromalacia of both knees, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current disability levels.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current low back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, or ankle disorder. The medical evidence does not support service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's left ankle, left knee, and back disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor are they etiologically related to service.