Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2008

The Board finds that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions diagnosed in service or within one year after discharge, and there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for asbestos-related lung disease also fails as there is no competent medical evidence of a current disability related to asbestos exposure.

The veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the right ankle is being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis were not incurred or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed to have occurred therein. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability, which is secondary to his service-connected left knee instability with degenerative arthritis and scars, has been remanded due to the need for additional medical records.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, osteoarthritis of the left ankle, heart disorder, cellulitis of the left foot, and anxiety reaction due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, osteoarthritis, and bilateral hip disorder due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were related to service.

The veteran's service-connected right knee injuries and osteoarthritis have not been shown to warrant a rating higher than the current 20 percent for either condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hearing loss, heart disorder (including hypertension and coronary insufficiency), stomach disorder (including peptic ulcer disease and gastritis), and arthritis are all related to his military service.

The Board has ordered a new examination to determine the current nature and severity of the veteran's service-connected bilateral foot condition, including whether he was properly diagnosed with osteoarthritis during service. The appeal is remanded for further development.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for prostatitis and granted it. The Board also found that the veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine is related to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic right knee disability, including osteoarthritis and internal derangement, as being proximately due to the veteran's service-connected right ankle sprain residuals. The claim for a chronic right hip disability was denied because there is no medical evidence associating any right hip symptoms with the service-connected right ankle disability.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and knee disabilities were denied. The Board found no evidence of hypertension during service or within a year after discharge, and the VA examiner did not find any link between the veteran's current hypertension and his service-connected knee disability. For the knees, the VA examiner noted mild degenerative changes without finding a direct relationship to service.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's right and left knee chondromalacia and osteoarthritis with limited and painful motion, as well as his initial rating for instability and locking. The effective date claim was also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a fracture of the left middle finger with degenerative arthritis do not warrant an evaluation in excess of the currently assigned 10 percent rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation from March 19, 1997 to October 14, 2004 and an increased evaluation from October 15, 2004. The VA determined that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5224.

The VA determined that the veteran's neck condition is not related to his military service, either directly or secondarily due to his service-connected low back disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disability and right knee strain are not related to his military service, and thus denied these claims.

The veteran's combined disability rating is 90%, meeting the minimum schedular criteria for TDIU. However, his service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable as he can perform the physical and mental acts required by employment.

The Board finds that the veteran's left knee disability is not related to his military service or his service-connected right knee disability, and thus denies the claim for secondary service connection.

The Board found that the appellant's current mechanical low back pain and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The injury occurred during a weekend drill, but there is no evidence linking it to his current condition.