Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2002

The Board has granted increased ratings for service-connected chondromalacia of the right and left knees, with separate ratings for arthritis in each knee.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection and an increased rating for his arthritis conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a direct relationship to service or any other compensable basis.

The Board has restored the veteran's evaluation for arthritis of the elbows and hands from noncompensable to 20 percent effective January 1, 2000. The veteran is not entitled to an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his arthritis of the elbows and hands.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee, finding that it is due to an injury sustained during active military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a crush injury to both thighs is denied as there was no evidence linking the current knee problems to his in-service thigh injury.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable as a result of his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of such a condition during or within one year after military service and concluding that any current left knee osteoarthritis is not related to service.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have current rheumatoid arthritis or carpometacarpal osteoarthritis of the left thumb and hand, which were not incurred during active service. The claim is denied.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 10% for the veteran's left knee disability, effective from the date of this decision.

The Board found that the veteran's current lumbosacral spine disability is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased ratings are denied as no more than the current evaluations adequately reflect his symptoms and functional impairment.

The Board has granted a 40 percent disability rating for the veteran's traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine, effective February 21, 2002. The condition is rated under DC 5292 due to severe limitation of motion.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of a fractured left femur and right tibia are currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that these ratings do not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Board found that the veteran's disability had improved and he no longer needed aid and attendance, leading to termination of his special monthly pension.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected low back disorder and cervical spine disorder has been granted, with effective dates set at June 19, 1990 for the lower back condition and December 20, 1993 for the cervical spine disorder.

The Board found that the veteran's current lumbar spine condition, diagnosed as spondylosis of the lumbar spine, a bulging disc at L4-L5 and lumbo-sacral strain with osteoarthritis, was not incurred in or aggravated during his active duty. The claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's status post left total hip replacement is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected bilateral pes planus with osteoarthritis of the feet, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a respiratory disorder (including sinusitis with headaches), a headache disorder, a hemorrhoidal disorder, and a low back disorder. The claim to reopen service connection for diabetes mellitus was also denied. Additionally, the original rating in excess of 10 percent for generalized joint pain due to undiagnosed illness and an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral pes planus were denied.

The veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision.