Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for headaches and right knee injury with arthroscopic repair, both rated at 10 percent. The veteran's headaches are productive of chronic daily pain requiring medication for relief, while his right knee disability is manifested by patellofemoral pain syndrome with mild degenerative changes.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a right knee disorder and finds it well grounded. The appellant's current right knee disability is related to his injury during active duty training.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his left knee, lumbar spine, and right hip disabilities. The RO continued or granted some of these evaluations but did not grant any higher ratings.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection of a low back disorder as secondary to service-connected disability. The veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for residuals due to attempt to remove kidney stone is not well-grounded, and there are no additional increased ratings during the period of November 30, 1994 to September 8, 1995 for his bilateral knee disabilities. After August 6, 1998, there is no longer an issue of fact or law pertaining to a claim for VA benefits before the Board as to entitlement to an increased schedular evaluation for the veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Board has determined that the appellant's knee disabilities do not warrant evaluations in excess of their current ratings.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, and thus the claim is granted.

The Board has granted an increased rating to 20 percent for the veteran's right knee disability, effective January 1995. The decision also acknowledges the presence of arthritis in the right knee.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of evidence supporting his claimed conditions and exposure. The RO found that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claims for back disability and right knee and leg disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of evidence supporting his claims, including those related to fatigue and male-pattern hair loss as undiagnosed illnesses.

The Board found no evidence of a current right knee disorder and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations for chronic thoracic strain, patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, and patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee as the schedular criteria did not meet the requirements for higher ratings.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability is proximately due to his service-connected right foot disability, and the claim for reopening a low back disability as secondary to a service-connected right foot disability is granted.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder due to new and material evidence. However, the claim remains not well grounded as there is no competent medical evidence linking the current right knee disability to service.

The Board has not determined whether the veteran's claims of service connection for restrictive lung disease, right knee disability, left hip disability, and refractive error are well-grounded. The evidence submitted since the August 1996 denial does not establish a relationship between these conditions and the veteran's military service.

The veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected low back strain, right forearm gunshot wound, and right ankle disorder was granted. The rating for the left ankle condition remains at 10 percent. Hallux valgus deformity of both feet is rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board denied reopening of the claim for service connection for a left knee disorder and denied entitlement to service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The case is being remanded for further development and evaluation of the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee and low back conditions. The RO will consider whether separate ratings are warranted for arthritis and neurological impairment due to the service-connected back disability.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to payment or reimbursement for unauthorized medical services provided during his hospitalizations is denied as not well-grounded because the treatment was not for a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's residuals of left knee strain, effective from the date of claim. The issue regarding service connection for an eye disability is still pending and will be reopened if new and material evidence is submitted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and a compensable evaluation for his orthopedic disability of the left knee, onychomycosis of the right foot, and scars. The veteran is entitled to a statement of the case regarding his claim to reopen a skin disorder of the left foot.