Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2001

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative osteoarthritis of the right hand and left foot, as well as an increased rating for residuals of lacerations to his right hand. The appeals were based on direct service connection.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for right shoulder disability due to new and material evidence submitted since the April 1998 denial. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected right ankle disability, finding no evidence of ankylosis or active osteomyelitis.

The veteran's right knee disability, including chondromalacia with instability and post-traumatic osteoarthritis, is currently rated at 30 percent. His hearing loss of the left ear remains noncompensable.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine his eligibility for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee instability, lumbar strain, and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine do not warrant evaluations in excess of the currently assigned 10 percent ratings.

The Board has dismissed the matter of direct-payment fee eligibility as referred to the Board by the RO, due to lack of original jurisdiction.

The RO granted an increased rating to 10 percent for the service-connected left knee disability under Diagnostic Code 5257, effective from March 15, 1990.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the cervical spine. Additional development is required to determine if the veteran's current condition was incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if any diagnosed disc disease and/or wedging compression fractures at T12 and L1 are part of the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability, and whether his subjective complaints of numbness and 'pins and needles' sensation are attributable to his service-connected degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral spine.

The Board has granted service connection for multiple joint arthritis due to Reiter's disease and assigned a 10 percent disability rating. The veteran's claim for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the lumbosacral spine and conjunctivitis was also granted.

The veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was denied by the RO. The case is being remanded for further development and examination.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for updated medical records and a VA examination, as well as obtaining Social Security Administration records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected osteoarthritis conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating than what was already assigned.

The VA determined that the veteran's lumbar spine stenosis, right L4-5 disc herniation, and degenerative arthritis are not related to service or his service-connected shell fragment wound of the low back. The VA also found no evidence supporting an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for residuals of a shell fragment wound of the low back.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current degenerative joint disease with osteoarthritis of the right knee is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted entitlement to service connection for degenerative osteoarthritis with hallux valgus of both feet, and assigned a noncompensable evaluation effective September 29, 1992. The RO later increased the evaluations to 10 percent on July 1, 1996.

The Board has remanded this case for further development, including obtaining medical records and opinions regarding the veteran's right ankle disability and left ankle disorder. The issues of entitlement to increased evaluation for the right ankle sprain with minimal osteoarthritis and service connection for a left ankle disorder secondary to the right ankle disability are also being addressed.

The Board has granted a 20% rating for the veteran's right shoulder disability, effective from when the claim was filed. The issue of service connection for a cervical spine disorder is remanded.

The veteran's service-connected traumatic degenerative arthritis, cervical spine and lumbosacral/dorsal spine with limitation of motion have been granted a higher evaluation from February 28, 1997.