Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2009

The Board denied service connection for bilateral osteoarthritis of the shoulders, finding no evidence that it was incurred in or aggravated by service and no evidence linking it to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder.

The appeal is remanded for further development and adjudication of the issues on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based upon the need of regular aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound was denied as he did not meet the criteria.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disorders are being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination.

The Board finds support for a grant of service connection for degenerative arthritis of temporomandibular joint, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected status post left total parotidectomy with minimal facial disfigurement.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation and TDIU was remanded to afford him a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left elbow disability, right shoulder disability, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome as there was no evidence to support that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for hypertension, a psychiatric disability, and back disability. The claims for degenerative arthritis of the right hip and total left hip replacement were reopened but ultimately denied on the merits.

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee, as there was no evidence of a formal or informal claim prior to February 2, 2006.

The Board found that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for the service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder condition and an increased initial evaluation for his right knee disability were denied as there was no current diagnosis of a right shoulder disability, and the evidence did not support a higher rating for the right knee.

The Board found that the appellant's foot disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and arthritis may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee and bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence to support a direct link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the claims for increased ratings as there was no evidence of severe limitation of motion or other factors that would warrant a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder as it was not related to service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition was reopened as new and material evidence was submitted, but the increased rating claim for varicose veins of the right leg was denied.

The Board finds that service connection for a right hip disability, diagnosed as arthritis, is warranted as secondary to the service connected right knee disability.

The appeal is remanded to obtain additional medical records and possibly a new examination due to the veteran's reported knee replacement surgery.

The Board denied a rating higher than 10 percent for hypertension and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.