Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2010

The Board found that the Veteran did not have a right knee disability in service and there is no current evidence of arthritis. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for either automobile and adaptive equipment or specially adapted housing assistance.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus is found to have aggravated his current degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and it is at least as likely as not that this aggravation also caused or aggravated any identified hip disability. Service connection for a bilateral hip disorder is granted.

The Veteran's knee conditions do not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available for his service-connected DDD and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The evidence does not support a higher evaluation.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant or his authorized representative.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration, including a VA examination to assess his employability due to his left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right and left knee disabilities, as well as his left hip pain associated with rheumatic fever, have been denied. His service-connected rheumatic heart disease remains at a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis with recurrent dislocations of the right shoulder was granted a 20 percent evaluation effective from March 14, 2005 to April 27, 2006, and again from July 1, 2006. The Veteran's disability has not been manifested by ankylosis or other severe impairment.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine was denied. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for an increased rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis of the left knee, status post torn lateral meniscus repair, was permanently aggravated by his service-connected residuals, postoperative, medial and lateral meniscectomy, right knee. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for osteoarthritis and instability of the left knee ligaments were denied as his conditions did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to August 26, 2008.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected right and left patella osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

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

The Veteran's claim for initial compensable ratings for her cervical and lumbar spine disabilities is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration of all relevant evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ankle injury in service resulted in current osteoarthritis, and granted service connection for residuals of a left ankle injury. The Veteran was also granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an extraschedular TDIU rating prior to July 13, 2004, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable and that there was no evidence of frequent hospitalization or marked interference with employment.

The Veteran's varicose veins of the left lower extremity were rated as 10 percent disabling prior to July 11, 2006 and as 20 percent thereafter. The Veteran's post-traumatic degenerative arthritis of the left knee was rated as 10 percent disabling since July 11, 2006.,The Board found that an increased rating for varicose veins prior to July 11, 2006 and for post-traumatic degenerative arthritis beginning July 11, 2006 is not warranted under the applicable criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to be of such severity so as to preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the RO in Wichita, Kansas due to the Veteran's request.