Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2014

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for his cervical spine disabilities, including DDD and degenerative arthritis, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a relationship to his service.

The Veteran's combined rating due to service-connected disabilities is 70%, which meets the criteria for a TDIU. However, his unemployability is not due to his service-connected conditions but rather to nonservice-connected cognitive dysfunction and retirement from two careers.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder and determined that new and material evidence has been received. The Board also found that generalized osteoarthritis, which is hereditary in nature, was incurred during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left hand injury is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant service department records and affording the Veteran with a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder degenerative arthritis is incurred during his active duty service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for left elbow degenerative arthritis will be remanded.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available for this condition.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is not service-connected as it did not manifest within one year of separation from active duty and there is no evidence linking the current condition to service or a service-connected disability.,The Veteran's sleep disorder, including nightmares and difficulty falling asleep, is considered part of his service-connected PTSD. A separate rating for this symptomatology is not warranted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis, left knee and sarcoidosis. The Veteran's claims remain denied.