Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2009

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee, osteoarthritis of the left knee, and a low back disability, finding that such conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders, finding no evidence of a current disability related to active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for scar tissue in the cervical spine, lumbar spine, and right hip arthritis have been denied. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disorder is rated at 20 percent, with limitation of extension limited to 5 degrees or less. The Board denied increased ratings for the left hip and right heel disorders as secondary to the service-connected left knee disorder.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis does not warrant an initial compensable disability rating, from March 7, 2002, or a disability rating in excess of 10 percent, from April 17, 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the claim.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is less than total, but the criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service connected disorders have not been met. The preponderance of evidence shows that the Veteran is unemployable primarily as a result of the residual disability associated with his nonservice connected cerebrovascular accident.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy and cervical spine degenerative arthritis are related to his in-service injuries, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to procedural errors in VCAA notice and the propriety of reducing his VA benefits due to incarceration. The Board will provide proper VCAA notice, issue a SOC for the reduction issue, and readjudicate the service connection claim.

The Board found that there is no evidence linking the appellant's degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, elbow and arm to his military service or a service-connected disability. The claim was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disability is related to his in-service accident and/or his service-connected rib and shoulder disabilities, granting service connection for osteoarthritis of the thoracolumbar spine.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee chondromalacia, anterior cruciate ligament tear, and osteoarthritis. The appellant's pension claim was denied due to his period of active duty not meeting the requirements for pension eligibility.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his knee and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as hypertension, were denied. The conditions are rated based on their direct service connection without any presumption or secondary theory.

The Board found no evidence of a low back disorder during service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran's current low back disorders are not linked to his military service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his right ankle disability, bilateral knee osteoarthritis, and symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage were denied. The Veteran was granted a separate 10 percent rating for the symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage of the right knee.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine in March 2005. The Court affirmed this decision, and the Veteran appealed to the BVA. New evidence submitted since the last denial does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his right knee disorder and his cardiovascular conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right knee osteoarthritis did not have its onset in service and is unrelated to his period of active duty. The claim for service connection was denied.