Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate examinations to determine the current severity of his left wrist and shoulder conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back disability. The Veteran's in-service shell fragment wound (SFW) of the left thigh is found to have caused or aggravated his current lumbar spondylosis and degenerative changes, warranting service connection. However, there is no causal relationship between the SFW and the Veteran's diagnosed left hip osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the schedular percentage requirements for a TDIU, and his claim is granted. The VA examiner provided an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current headache disorder is related to his period of service or caused by his service-connected deviated nasal septum disorder.

The Board has granted an effective date of November 26, 2008 for the increased ratings assigned for limitation of extension and instability in the left knee.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and providing an addendum medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left hip/thigh disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess his hearing loss disability and knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of his right ankle disability, onychomycosis, and right knee disability.

The Veteran's service connection claim for left elbow degenerative arthritis is granted as the evidence is at least in equipoise that his current condition was incurred during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a prior award of disability benefits from the Social Security Administration and the need to obtain alternate sources of evidence regarding in-service injury.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his left knee disability, including any additional range-of-motion loss due to weakened movement, excess fatigability, incoordination, pain, or flare-ups. The case will be returned to the Board after this examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been granted based on direct service connection. No new evidence or changes in the rating system were noted.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and assigned an initial rating of 20 percent for Type II diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's current right knee osteoarthritis is related to his in-service knee problems, while the diabetes mellitus remains at its currently assigned 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his service-connected nephrolithiasis, eczema, lumbago, patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, and osteoarthritis of the left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to address the extent of impairment and remaining function in his left arm, hand, leg, and foot. The claim will be reconsidered based on the additional evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected osteoarthritis of the right knee and post-operative residuals of a right meniscectomy do not warrant an increased rating as there is no evidence of compensable limitation of motion.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, anxiety, and severe depression, are not service connected due to the lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty. The in-service drug use is considered willful misconduct.,Left hip osteoarthritis was not present during service or within one year post-service and is unrelated to service-connected disability. Atherosclerotic vascular calcification was also not present during service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional medical examination and development of Social Security Administration records. The TDIU claim is considered part of the increased rating claim.