Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2013

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the Veteran's right shoulder disorder, effective from September 7, 2007.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records from Dr. T. L. N.

The Board found no evidence of a right knee disability during service or within the first post-service year, and concluded that arthritis is not presumed to have developed due to service. The Veteran's current right knee condition was deemed unrelated to his military service.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the Veteran's current left knee strain and his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's osteoarthritis of the right knee was incurred in, or caused by, his military service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's initial rating for residuals of a left shoulder injury has been increased to 20 percent, effective April 17, 2012. The right knee disability continues to warrant a noncompensable rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right hip, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and right eye disability. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The lumbar spine disability was found to be manifested by pain and functional loss, but not ankylosis or incapacitating episodes lasting at least 6 weeks. For the left great toe and hallux valgus deformity of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, the disability was productive of mild to moderate symptoms prior to February 22, 2008 and severe symptoms from November 11, 2011 onwards. The second toe with metatarsalgia was found to be productive of mild to moderate symptoms since September 18, 2007.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hypertension, degenerative arthritis in both knees, traumatic arthritis in the elbow, pes planus, chronic low back strain, and chronic sinusitis, contributed to his death from an overdose of propoxyphene. The Board finds that these conditions were directly related to the cause of death.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine resulted in limited spinal motion, but did not meet the criteria for higher initial ratings. The current rating of 20% is appropriate since July 8, 2011.

The Board found that the Veteran's current thoracic and lumbar spine disorders are not related to his service, either directly or as secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 20 percent effective April 16, 2008.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete medical records and need for clarification of certain opinions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected back disability is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability did not warrant ratings in excess of 30 percent prior to September 16, 2011 and/or in excess of 50 percent (combined) from that date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his GU disability and right knee conditions, have rendered him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU from March 12, 2007 due to service-connected disabilities that rendered him unemployable.