Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran's osteoarthritis of the right knee is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ankle sprains with causalgia involving the peroneal nerve do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current bilateral knee and right hip disorders are not related to his military service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30 percent, and the right knee DJD is not service-connected. The carpal tunnel syndrome of the right arm remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left clavicle fracture and second/third metacarpal bone fractures, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support higher evaluations.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a copy of the notice letter regarding overpayment and referring the matter to the RO's Committee on Waivers and Compromises.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the dorsal and lumbosacral spine due to new evidence. However, service connection is not granted as there is no direct or secondary link between these conditions and service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of qualifying disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have osteoarthritis that is attributable to his military service and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including total abdominal hysterectomy, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and degenerative arthritis of both hands, have rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU.

The VA has increased the initial rating for the veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability from 20% to 40%, effective January 22, 2003.

The veteran's claim for a rating increase and service connection for a left hand disorder were both denied. The Board found that the veteran does not have residuals of a left hand disorder related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as his bilateral hearing loss. The criteria for a higher rating were not met based on the current evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee arthritis and service connection for a right knee disability.

The veteran is seeking service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbosacral spine, which he contends was incurred or aggravated by service. The Board has ordered additional development due to outstanding SSA records.

The RO granted a 60 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of left knee injury with degenerative arthritis, effective October 15, 2003. The decision also addressed secondary service connection claims for right hip avascular necrosis and degenerative changes, left hip degenerative changes, and postoperative degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board has determined that the veteran's arthralgia of multiple joints warrants a 30% disability rating, effective from the date of the decision. The service connection for bilateral osteoarthritis of the hip remains denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's gout of the knees, degenerative tearing of the medial meniscus and degenerative arthritis of the knees are not related to his service-connected residuals of shell fragment wounds of the knees. Therefore, these claims for secondary service connection have been denied.

The Board has determined that a rating of 10 percent for residuals, fracture of the middle finger phalanx, middle finger of the left hand with osteoarthritis, and, osteoarthritis, index finger, left hand is granted.