Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2008

The veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is not shown to be more severe than currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for a back strain with spondylosis, hepatitis C, right elbow disability, and residuals of a right great toe fracture. The veteran's initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee lateral meniscectomy was also denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, tinnitus, and a respiratory condition, to include asbestosis, were denied. The veteran was also found not entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an upper and lower jaw disability and osteoarthritis, as there was no evidence of a current disability or a relationship to service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral pes planus and knee disabilities were denied as the evidence did not support a higher evaluation.

The veteran's initial rating for his left foot disability was denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The veteran's service connection claim for depressive disorder and anxiety disorder was granted, while the claim for PTSD was denied.

The Board denied service connection for the various disabilities claimed, as there was no evidence of a relationship between any of these conditions and the veteran's period of active duty.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings, finding that his lumbar strain with lumbar spondylosis and degenerative arthritis of both knees did not warrant higher disability evaluations.

The veteran's service-connected left hip osteoarthritis does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent from September 24, 2002.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, peripheral neuropathy of the feet, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right knee disability is being remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis and disc disease of the cervical spine, degenerative joint disease of both wrists, and degenerative joint disease of both hips as these conditions were not related to the veteran's active military service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, rated at 60 percent combined, do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any regular substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the thoracic spine was remanded for an additional VA examination to determine the current severity of the disability.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with disc extrusion was denied as the April 1975 decision that initially denied service connection is final and no new and material evidence to reopen the claim was received prior to April 28, 1999.

The veteran's timely appeal to the claim of entitlement to service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee, claimed as secondary to service-connected residuals of left knee trauma, was acknowledged and the claims for service connection for hypertension, increased rating for left knee disability, and increased rating for left total knee arthroplasty were deferred pending a further hearing.

The Board found that the reduction in the veteran's left knee disability rating was not proper and granted a separate 20 percent rating under diagnostic code 5257 for moderate recurrent subluxation, effective from December 1, 2004.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected metatarsalgia of the left foot and median mononeuropathy with osteoarthritis from fracture of the left wrist, as the evidence did not support a higher disability rating.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for a right shoulder disability was denied as there is no legal entitlement to an effective date earlier than May 12, 2000.