Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2012

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder AC joint osteoarthritis with impingement syndrome, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims, including obtaining private treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disability and hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of chronic conditions during or following service. The current disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, PTSD, and schizophrenia, secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities is granted. The claims for increased ratings for left and right knee chondromalacia patella with degenerative arthritis are denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including arranging for a VA examination to determine whether the Veteran has a thoracolumbar spine disability that was caused or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's left hip osteoarthritis was rated at 30 percent prior to September 20, 2006. He is also entitled to a separate rating of 10 percent for limitation of adduction of the left hip from September 22, 2005, to September 20, 2006.

The Veteran's cause of death, astrocytoma, was not related to his military service or any service-connected disability. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for a left foot disability was granted, and he is now receiving the maximum schedular rating available. The Board also granted his claims for service connection for various orthopedic disabilities and anxiety disorder, as well as TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current left foot osteoarthritis is related to her military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and to reopen his claim for low back disability. The decision is final as it pertained to the original denial of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, but denied service connection for obesity. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral knee disabilities are not considered to be directly related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral degenerative arthritis of the knees is related to active military service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition. The evidence does not support a finding of a current diagnosis of a bilateral ankle disability, but the claim will be granted as there is no clear and unmistakable error in denying it.

The Board has determined that the July 2004 RO rating decision, which continued a 10 percent rating for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with hypertextension under DC 5299-5257, was not the product of clear and unmistakable error (CUE). The appellant's service-connected right knee disability results in symptomatology analogous to recurrent instability and subluxation which is no more than slight in degree. The criteria for a rating greater than 10 percent for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with hypertextension have not been met, as the symptoms are consistent with patellofemoral pain.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's osteoarthritis of the left shoulder with tendonitis was incurred in service, as it is less likely than not permanently aggravated by a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, with history of L5-S1 herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP), is productive of 30 degrees or less of forward flexion and warrants a 40 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine his employment status, educational attainments, and the impact of his service-connected conditions on his ability to work.

The Board found that the Veteran's current back disorders are not related to his military service and denied his claim.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis was not productive of flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, extension limited to 15 degrees or more, or by mild subluxation or lateral instability from August 1, 2005.,Between August 1, 2005 and October 17, 2011, the Veteran's left knee disability was not productive of flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, extension limited to 15 degrees or more, or by mild subluxation or lateral instability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current osteoarthritis of the left ankle and left wrist is related to his military service, raising a reasonable doubt as to whether these conditions are directly related. The Veteran's complaints of pain in his ankles and wrists during active duty have led to arthritis diagnoses post-service.

The Board found that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees did not originate in service or for many years thereafter, is not related to any incident of service, and is not a result of a service-connected disability.