Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's current lumbar spine disability, including degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and lumbosacral strain, is considered to have started during his service. The Board has granted service connection for this condition on the basis of direct incurrence in service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of her service-connected left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is rated at 20 percent, but his bilateral hip disorder was not found to be related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed osteoarthritis of the right and left elbows is related to his service, resulting in a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral pes cavus has been denied as the evidence does not support a finding of pes cavus, and the symptoms present are more consistent with other diagnoses such as pes planus.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current right and left knee disabilities are not related to his active duty service, and therefore denied service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine, left hip, and right knee disabilities are proximately due to his service-connected left knee disability. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's arthritis of the right hand and right ankle are found to be related to his military service, with all doubts resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine, bilateral knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities are related to service due to continuous symptoms since separation from active duty.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right knee degenerative arthritis was denied as the evidence did not show severe recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, which would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right shoulder disability is proximately due to his service-connected right ankle disability. The claims for service connection for a right wrist and right knee disabilities are granted as secondary to their respective service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and bilateral hip strain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee degenerative arthritis. The initial rating for the left knee condition remains at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, special monthly compensation based on the need for aid & attendance/housebound status, and temporary total rating based on surgical or other treatment necessitating convalescence associated with a heart attack in March 2010 were denied. The Board also found that extraschedular ratings for his right knee disabilities and residuals of a fracture of the right fifth finger were not warranted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for major depressive disorder, reopening of previously denied claims for left knee disability and low back disability (degenerative changes with low back pain) were remanded.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current hip, spine, and knee disabilities are not related to his in-service near-fall injury. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.,The VA examiners found no specific diagnoses for the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, or bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and TDIU has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal in March 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability, including degenerative arthritis of the spine, intervertebral disc syndrome, L4 to L5 spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, and scoliosis, is presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran's appeal regarding a rating in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the right knee is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated records and scheduling an examination.

The Board denied a request for an effective date prior to January 15, 2008 for the award of service connection for lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's claim was granted in June 2008 with an effective date set at that time.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected major depressive disorder, right and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development of her medical records and a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disorder, diagnosed as bone spur and impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tendinitis, and acromioclavicular (AC) joint osteoarthritis, did not manifest within one year of service discharge and is not linked to his service-connected left wrist and hand disabilities. Therefore, the claim for service connection for this condition has been denied.