Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2008

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the veteran's right hip osteoarthritis did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating before May 17, 2006.

The Board found no medical evidence linking the veteran's current knee and lumbar spine disabilities to his military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is presumed to have been incurred in service due to the one-year presumptive period following his separation from active duty.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral foot disability, currently rated at 30 percent, does not warrant a higher rating as there is no evidence of more than moderate functional impairment.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of entitlement to service connection for psychiatric disability and an initial compensable rating for osteoarthritis of the right shoulder, finding that there were no compelling circumstances warranting prolonged unauthorized absence during his first period of active duty.

The veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 60 percent effective March 15, 2004. Prior to this date, the disability warranted a rating of 20 percent.

The veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability is dismissed as the benefit sought on appeal (service connection) is already in effect with a 30 percent rating effective August 5, 2003.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his low back strain, currently evaluated at 20 percent. The objective medical evidence did not show marked or severely limited motion or severe lumbar strain to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disability does not render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment, and thus denies his claim for TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that the current conditions are not attributable to active military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate notice provided to the appellant regarding her DIC claim based on a previously service-connected condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and hands, as well as arthritis of the hands with ulnar neuropathy, both secondary to his service-connected low back disability. The VA examiner found no evidence linking these conditions directly to the service-connected condition.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied, with the exception of a 10 percent rating for right knee instability from October 7, 2002, to March 4, 2007.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for rheumatic polyarthritis of the left knee and service connection for a heart condition, finding that his disability did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied an increased rating for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, finding the veteran's condition did not warrant a higher evaluation based on the evidence of record.

The Board found that the veteran's current left ankle degenerative arthritis is not related to his period of active service or his service-connected right knee disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a videoconference hearing at the RO due to his inability to attend the previously scheduled hearing in Washington, DC.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the right knee, right wrist tendonitis, and left knee are denied.,The veteran is currently rated at 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the right knee (limitation of flexion), 10 percent for right knee medial laxity, 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the left knee, and 10 percent for tendonitis of the right wrist.

The VA has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected chronic low back strain with osteoarthritis and left S1 radiculopathy, finding that the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.