Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine is related to his in-service back injury, and thus grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling, the maximum available under DC 5261. The Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various joint conditions, including degenerative arthritis of the back, neck, shoulders, knees, hips, ankles, and elbows/arms are granted. The specific diagnoses include PTSD, right ankle condition, degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder, bilateral knee conditions, bilateral hip conditions, bilateral ankle conditions, and a left elbow/arm condition.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee and asthma, with a rating of 40 percent effective from April 9, 2011.

The Board denied entitlement to higher ratings for the Veteran's low back and cervical spine disabilities on an extraschedular basis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for multiple service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for increased ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial ratings were denied. The lumbar spine disability was rated as 40 percent prior to May 20, 2010, and from September 1, 2010 onwards. The cervical spine disability was rated based on radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities. Urinary frequency was rated as 40 percent prior to December 7, 2016, and scar was not compensable.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee patella-femoral syndrome and osteoarthritis, as well as L4-L5 bulging disc with moderate spinal canal stenosis (degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine), both secondary to his service-connected left knee disorder. The claim for chronic dermatitis remains denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected.,Service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee, left knee, low back disorder, right hip disorder, and left hip disorder are granted as secondary to his service-connected residuals of a right foot bunionectomy.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn for the issues of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability and entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability. The Board has no further jurisdiction over these matters.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ankle disorder and his bilateral tinea unguium of the toenails affects less than 5 percent of his total body area. The Veteran's impairment of the right thigh due to osteoarthritis warrants an initial compensable rating, but limitation of flexion of the right thigh due to osteoarthritis does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is related to his in-service injury, and thus service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee is granted. The issue of service connection for left knee disorder remains pending as it may be related to military service or secondary to a now-service-connected condition. Service connection for hearing loss in the right ear cannot be established without resorting to mere speculation.

The Veteran's left and right ankle degenerative arthritis are currently rated at 20 percent each, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations.,The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations.,The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations.,The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis and ligament instability are both currently rated at 10 percent each, with a separate 20 percent rating for ligament instability of the right knee prior to May 2, 2017, and higher than 20 percent from that date.,There is no specific service connection theory provided in this decision.

The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder is rated at 70 percent, and his left knee instability is not entitled to a higher rating.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right hand degenerative joint disease is related to service, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's left knee retropatellar pain syndrome with osteoarthritis, finding that his flexion limitation did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at the highest possible under the applicable diagnostic codes based on limitation of motion, with higher ratings requiring ankylosis. The Board finds that the evidence supports a grant of a 40 percent rating for the entire appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left hip disability is related to his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc and joint disease, and therefore grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA examination results and addressing the service connection claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, or knee disabilities during any portion of the appeal period.