Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2001

The Board denied reopening the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease with valvular disease and a pacemaker, which was denied in 1987. The Board also granted a compensable evaluation (10%) for polyarthritis as a residual of rheumatic fever.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that new and material evidence was not presented to reopen the claim.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the veteran's death, and no service connection was granted for bronchitis or degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 3, 1994 for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not show that the veteran was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to this date.

The veteran's service-connected left knee conditions are rated at 20 percent for status post left medial meniscectomy and 10 percent for left knee degenerative arthritis, effective October 1, 1996.

The veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right knee disorder, residuals of a meniscectomy with degenerative arthritis, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The veteran is granted a temporary total rating (TTR) for convalescence from October 1, 1997 to January 1, 1998. For the period from January 2 to February 26, 1998, he is granted a 20 percent evaluation for postoperative residuals of a right elbow with tricompartmental osteoarthritis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an increased rating for rheumatic heart disease is denied, and his claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis secondary to rheumatic heart disease was not well-grounded. The case is being remanded for further development.

The veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 40 percent, effective June 2, 1995. The lumbar spine disability remains at a 40 percent rating from the same date. The dorsal spine and right knee disabilities are both rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's post-traumatic degenerative arthritis of the left knee with status post meniscectomy is currently receiving a maximum schedular rating of 30 percent. The Board has granted an additional 30 percent evaluation, bringing the total to 60 percent.

The Board granted service connection for duodenal ulcer secondary to service-connected depression and assigned a 10 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine.

The veteran's knee disabilities, including postoperative left and right knees, degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees, are currently rated at 20 percent each under Diagnostic Codes 5257 (instability) and 5261/5260 (range of motion).

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death was incurred in active service, specifically due to hypertension and congestive heart failure.

The Board has granted service connection for generalized arthritis of the cervical spine, finding that it is a result of the same systemic disease process as arthritis of the thoracic and lumbosacral spine.

The Board granted a rating of 20 percent for instability as a residual of degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and a separate 10 percent rating for the service-connected degenerative arthritis of the left knee based on x-ray findings of arthritis with limited painful motion.

The veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, which reflects the severity of his symptoms including back pain and limitation of motion. The RO has granted a separate 10 percent rating for degenerative arthritis.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with disc disease, status post lumbar laminectomy.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of a shell fragment wound to his right lower extremity is granted, and he also receives special monthly compensation based on the loss of use of both lower extremities.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right total knee replacement and bilateral hearing loss, effectively preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.