Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and right knee osteoarthritis. The VA examinations are inadequate, and additional medical opinions are required to address the etiology of the Veteran's current conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inaccurate factual premise in a previous VA examination opinion, and the Veteran's denial of a history of tobacco use. The claim is being returned for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis), was not incurred or aggravated by active duty service and could not be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of osteoarthritis, bilateral hypertrophic compound astigmatism, pulmonary tuberculosis, aortic sclerosis, osteoporosis and compression fracture of the thoracolumbar spine, and presbyopia, cataracts, pterygium, and age-related macular degeneration. The Board found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen any of these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a previous examination report that did not consider the Veteran's reported injury in service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and the acquisition of medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her thoracic spine disability and service connection for right and left lower extremity conditions, finding no evidence of a current disability or that any such disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and increased evaluations for his degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine was denied. The Board found that the earliest date after the January 1999 RO decision that the Veteran expressed an intent to reopen his claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was December 22, 2000.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the left foot disability was manifested by pain and functional loss amounting to no more than moderate residuals of a foot injury, and there was insufficient evidence to support secondary service connection for ankle and knee disorders or sleep apnea and high blood pressure.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical spine osteoarthritis, degenerative disc osteophyte complex disorder, and radiculopathy are not related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's left shoulder disorder is not causally or etiologically related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records from the Social Security Administration and scheduling a VA examination to determine the likely etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner to address whether the Veteran's current foot, ankle, and lower leg complaints are residuals of frostbite or exposure to cold weather while in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's advanced degenerative osteoarthritis of the left hip, which required a total hip replacement, is as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected left ankle disability. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's neck disorder is being remanded for a supplemental VA examination to determine if it was aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical opinions and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was initially granted in November 1975 with a noncompensable rating. The claim for an increased rating is now before the Board.,Since November 21, 2011, the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, has been rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee osteoarthritis with meniscus tears are rated at 20 percent for the right knee, effective from March 1, 2010. The left knee is rated at 10 percent.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The effective date of the grant of service connection for right shoulder impingement syndrome, left and right medial collateral ligament strain, and limitation of motion of the right and left knee was assigned as July 31, 1993.