Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2006

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee and denied service connection for a bilateral ankle disability. The veteran's current right knee disability is presumed to be due to his combat experience in Vietnam.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected osteoarthritis of the right knee and did not address or grant a higher effective date for service connection for right knee instability.

The veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his right knee disability was dismissed due to the death of the veteran.

The veteran's claim for an increased initial evaluation for conjunctivitis was denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, hearing loss of the left ear, major depressive disorder with alcohol abuse in remission, bilateral tarsometatarsal degenerative arthrosis, left acromioclavicular joint degenerative changes (osteoarthritis), status post non-displaced tibial plateau fracture of the left knee, and arthritic changes of the cervical spine.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of both knees and left knee degenerative joint disease, as well as his claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for VA treatment causing a left knee disorder. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service or VA treatment.

The Board found that the effective date for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 should be January 28, 2003.

The Board has granted an initial 10 percent evaluation for the veteran's mechanical low back pain with degenerative joint disease, finding that his disability does not meet or approximate criteria warranting a higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran's foot disability was not incurred in or related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, but denied service connection for arthritis of the knees and hands.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, left hip, and lumbar spine disabilities as secondary to his service-connected left femur disability. The diagnoses of these conditions were not made during or within one year after service, and there is no evidence linking them to service or the service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling an orthopedic examination and providing corrective VCAA notice.

The VA denied increased disability ratings for patellofemoral syndrome of the right and left knees with degenerative arthritis, finding that the veteran's symptoms did not warrant a higher rating based on his range of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of degenerative disc disease, peripheral neuropathy, left knee arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, or tinnitus. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the low back is being remanded due to insufficient medical evidence and potential confusion about when the injury occurred. The VA will need to provide a medical examination to determine if the condition is related to an in-service injury.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating of his right knee injury with flexion contracture, chronic pain, and osteoarthritis has been granted at a 40 percent disability rating effective March 29, 2003. The RO should issue a Statement of the Case on the matter of entitlement to a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's right shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The RO increased the rating for the right knee disability to 10 percent effective June 1, 2001. The initial ratings for all three conditions remain at 20 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within one year after separation. The Board also found that the current conditions are not related to service.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outpatient and inpatient treatment records from VA and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no new and material evidence to reopen his previously denied claims of service connection for a back disability and left knee disability.