Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2005

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability and an increased rating for his shrapnel fragment wound of the neck, finding no evidence that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's current back disability is causally related to his in-service injury, and granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with a compression injury of T-12.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with secondary degenerative arthritis, thoracic spine degenerative arthritis, right ankle fracture and chronic synovitis, and left ankle degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for service-connected residuals of fractured right wrist and left pubis rami, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the presence of neurological manifestations due to his cervical spine disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to assess the veteran's bilateral great toe disorders and their impact on his overall foot function.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The veteran's spine disabilities are remanded for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling an orthopedic examination.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for post-traumatic osteoarthritis as there was no evidence of arthritis during or within one year after service, and the appellant did not have prisoner-of-war status.

The November 21, 1972 rating decision granted service connection for minimal osteoarthritis of both knees and denied service connection for the postoperative residuals of a left knee meniscectomy. The veteran's appeal is mixed as some issues were granted (service connection for arthritis) while others were not (denial of residuals from surgery).

The Board has granted a 40 percent disability rating for the veteran's low back disability effective from May 16, 2001. The RO also granted a 60 percent disability rating for the same condition starting July 10, 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's increased rating claims for his service-connected low back syndrome with degenerative arthritis and left knee disability, finding that a higher evaluation than 20 percent was not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection of his degenerative arthritis of the left knee, finding that there is no evidence linking this condition to his military service.

The veteran is seeking service connection for osteoarthritis, which he claims was caused by his combat service. The case has been remanded to obtain a medical opinion on the etiology of the condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine and Madelung's disease, finding that there was no evidence to support these conditions as being incurred or aggravated by active military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical spine, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and thoracic spine disabilities were denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected conditions warranted higher disability evaluations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left elbow injury and an increased rating for recurrent corneal erosions, herpes simplex stromal scarring, and left eye keratitis. The evidence did not support a finding of a nexus between any current disabilities and active service.

The veteran's asthma and bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining the VA examination report from January 2003 and arranging for a new VA examination to assess his current disability levels.

The Board has restored service connection for peripheral neuropathy, which was previously severed due to the veteran's diabetes mellitus. The issues of increased evaluations for knee disabilities and hearing loss remain pending.

The Board found that the veteran's left shoulder disability, manifested by recurrent dislocation and degenerative arthritis, does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left knee and residuals of lumbar spine surgery, herniated disc L4-5 as secondary to osteoarthritis of the left knee. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or any incident therein.