Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including asbestosis, hypertension, renal failure, irritable bowel syndrome, coronary artery disease, arthritis of the hands, and headaches. The reasons given were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have residuals of cold injuries to his hands or feet attributable to service, and therefore denied both issues.

The Board has granted a 40 percent disability rating for the veteran's service-connected chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, effective July 3, 1996. The initial rating prior to that date was found not to meet the criteria for compensation.

The Board granted the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that his right ankle disability warranted a 20% rating. Service connection was also established for degenerative arthritis of the right hip as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability, but not for a right knee disability.

The veteran is seeking service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right hip and left knee. The case has been remanded due to incomplete records, including a missing report from Dr. Thompson.

The Board denied increased disability ratings for the veteran's service-connected ankle disabilities and compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for sexual dysfunction and renal stent placement.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating of his left knee disability was denied. The RO confirmed and continued the previous denial of service connection for chloracne due to herbicides exposure, but did not address the issue of reopening the previously denied claim for service connection for chloracne due to herbicides exposure.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the left knee is remanded due to insufficient examination and lack of interval change in symptoms.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee osteoarthritis, status post arthroscopic repair, is not related to or aggravated by his service-connected left knee osteoarthritis.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities, finding no current disability or evidence of a nexus to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee condition is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected total left knee anthroplasty, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

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

The veteran's low back disorder, which includes osteoarthritis and pain, is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board found that the current rating adequately reflects his disability.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by or a result of his service-connected conditions, and thus denied both the cause of death claim and the DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 claim.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's claimed conditions to his military service or any service-connected disability, including alleged exposure to ionizing radiation. Therefore, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and generalized anxiety disorder, finding that the evidence does not warrant a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has granted initial ratings of 30 percent for the service-connected post-traumatic patellofemoral osteoarthritis of the left knee, and 40 percent for the right knee, both effective from April 2007.

The Board found no evidence of a lumbar spine disorder during service or within one year after service, and the competent medical evidence against a link between the veteran's current lumbar spine disorders and his military service outweighs any supporting evidence. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for ratings in excess of 10 percent for left knee postoperative residuals and left knee osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on functional loss or additional limitation of motion.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the right foot and ankle, finding that there is no evidence linking his current disability to his military service.