Knee Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of a current skin disorder or left knee disability, and concluded that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well-grounded. The Board also noted that there was insufficient medical evidence to establish a link between any diagnosed conditions and the veteran's active service.

The Board has granted an increased rating for the veteran's disability of the left wrist, effective from October 31, 1995. The veteran's other claims have been addressed and are either denied or affirmed.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for PTSD, but not for a bilateral knee disability. The veteran's PTSD claim is granted, while his knee disability claim remains denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition as his claim was not well-grounded, due to lack of medical evidence demonstrating a current disability and its relationship to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hip disability as secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities, and also denied his requests for increased evaluations of his right and left knee disabilities. The evidence submitted did not meet the criteria for reopening the previously denied claim or for increasing the ratings.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied. The current rating of 50 percent for excision, basal cell carcinomas of the face, neck, and arm is upheld. A 10 percent rating for a synovial tear, right knee, effective as of December 6, 1993, has been granted. Bilateral hearing loss disability remains at noncompensable prior to August 1, 1995, with an increased rating to 10 percent effective from that date.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability and remanded his claims for service connection for left knee disability and increased rating for right knee disability due to new evidence. The RO is instructed to obtain VA medical records, schedule examinations, and review the file for any relevant medical opinions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, residuals of a left wrist strain, bursitis of the right knee, and residuals of a right ankle sprain as his claims are not well grounded.

The veteran's right knee, eye, sinus, hearing loss (right ear), and migraine headache disabilities are all found to be service-connected.

The Board has granted the veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for a below the knee amputation as secondary to the residuals of his service-connected post-operative right inguinal hernia. The decision concludes that there is no evidence linking the veteran's below the knee amputation directly to his inservice hernia surgery.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for left knee pain, lumbar arthralgia (back pain), and plantar wart are not well-grounded. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to service.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance or being housebound is denied due to his inability to perform activities of daily living and his ability to travel away from his home.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability does not warrant a higher rating, and his back condition is currently rated appropriately.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings for his compression fracture at T12 and medial meniscal tear with entrapment and chronic anterior cruciate rupture of the right knee, finding that the evidence does not support higher evaluations under applicable rating criteria.

The Board found that the veteran did not file an adequate substantive appeal for his service-connected headaches, which are currently rated at 10 percent. The other issues related to knee and foot conditions were also deemed without a valid appeal.

The Board has determined that the appellant did not file an adequate substantive appeal regarding his claims for service connection and nonservice-connected pension purposes. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete medical records and to consider additional functional loss caused by pain in rating the veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, which was previously denied in January 1992. The veteran's current claims are based on his history of knee problems during active duty and subsequent medical records.

The Board found that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is not related to service. The claim for a right knee disability was denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of low back disability and bilateral knee disabilities, as well as his request for a higher rating for post-traumatic stress disorder. The claim for secondary service connection for low back disability was not well grounded due to lack of evidence linking it to the service-connected left ankle sprain. The claim for reopening of the bilateral knee disabilities was granted based on new and material evidence. However, the veteran's bilateral knee disabilities were found not to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected left ankle disability.