Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2002

The veteran is granted service connection for irritable colon condition with gastroesophageal reflux starting from May 17, 1991. The effective date of the grant of a 30 percent disability rating for this condition is set at May 17, 1991.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability, including degenerative disc disease and arthritis, was incurred during service due to an inservice injury. Service connection is granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected herniated nucleus pulposus with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, residuals of a fractured right ankle with degenerative joint disease, bilateral hearing loss, and bronchitis. The veteran was found not to meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under the applicable rating schedule.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for left knee and lumbar spine disorders, but granted service connection for cervical spine disorder. The decision did not address whether the current conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee injuries and osteoarthritis do not warrant an evaluation in excess of the current ratings, while his hypopigmentation does not meet criteria for a separate rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for a certificate of eligibility for financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or special home adaptations due to his current functional status and lack of blindness, anatomical loss or use of both hands.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral minimal degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee joints and assigned a 10 percent evaluation, finding that the veteran's right and left knees have limited flexion with positive crepitance and subjective complaints of pain.

The veteran's service-connected osteoarthritis of the right ankle and traumatic arthritis of the left ankle are currently rated at 10 percent each. The Board finds that these ratings adequately reflect the severity of the disabilities, including pain and instability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical and thoracic spine, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Board found that there was no evidence of such conditions in service or during the applicable presumptive period.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board granted a 40 percent evaluation for the appellant's degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine with degenerative arthritis and bilateral facet hypertrophy, effective from June 23, 1997.

The Board found no evidence of a medical nexus between the veteran's active military service and his post-service diagnosis of degenerative arthritis of the feet and cervical spine, thus denying the claims for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the hands does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent due to its minimal functional impairment, which is primarily attributed to non-service-connected conditions such as residuals from a cervical spine injury.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of a right knee disorder as secondary to his service-connected gunshot wound residuals and denied an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the evidence did not show any more than slight impairment in his right knee and left metatarsal conditions.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) has determined that the veteran's left knee osteoarthritis was incurred as a result of active service and granted the claim for service connection.

The VA denied increased ratings for osteoarthritis secondary to patellar and ligamentous instability of the right and left knees, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of multiple joints, finding that there was no medical evidence showing such condition in service or within a year after separation from service.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for chondromalacia of the right knee with osteoarthritis is August 4, 1993.