Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2006

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral defective hearing and tinnitus, have not been found to prevent him from obtaining employment in his chosen field of operations management.

The Board found that the veteran's cervical disc disease and tendonitis of the right wrist were both aggravated by service, resulting in a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the current right knee conditions are not related to service or any pre-existing condition, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, hip disability, increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees, and laxity of the left knee. The decision also confirmed and continued the current noncompensable rating for pulmonary pleural plaquing.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee internal derangement with lateral instability and degenerative arthritis, as well as his claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for various knee and spine conditions have been denied by the Board.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for major depressive disorder and degenerative arthritis, finding that there was no evidence of these conditions during his ACDUTRA service or a nexus to such service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA unemployability examination. The TDIU claim will be adjudicated de novo without reference to prior decisions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of new and material evidence, specifically regarding his claim for recognition as a prisoner of war (POW) status. The RO previously denied this claim in February 2000, and no new or material evidence has been submitted since then.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, osteoarthritis of both hands, shoulders, hips and legs due to lack of a current disability. The claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the lower back is remanded as there was no SOC issued.

The VA denied an increased rating for traumatic arthritis of the right knee and instability of the right knee, both rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including degenerative disc disease of the cervical and lumbar spine, left wrist disability (residuals of a fractured left wrist), and right elbow disorder (epicondylitis), were not incurred or aggravated by active service. The evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's osteoarthritis was not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board granted an increased rating of 10 percent for the veteran's right knee disability, which includes instability and arthritis. The low back disability claim was denied as secondary to the service-connected knee disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for pruritis of the palm of the right hand and a bilateral knee disability. Service connection was not established as there is no evidence of such conditions during active duty or within one year after discharge.

The veteran's lumbosacral spine status post fusion with spondylolisthesis, degenerative arthritis, and degenerative disc disease with secondary peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities is rated as 40 percent for limitation of motion of the lumbar spine, 40 percent for incomplete paralysis of the right lower extremity, and 40 percent for incomplete paralysis of the left lower extremity.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a right knee injury in service, and the current diagnosis of degenerative arthritis was not related to service. As such, the claim for service connection for a right knee disorder is denied.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence linking the veteran's current left knee disability, including osteoarthritis, to service. As a result, the claim for service connection for residuals of a left knee injury and osteoarthritis is denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling him for VA medical examination of his bilateral knee and foot disabilities. The RO must also notify the veteran about the consequences of failing to report for the examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for his right knee disability, left knee disability, and bilateral pes planus. The denial was based on the veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.