Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2017

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant's representative, resulting in its dismissal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not related to his military service.,Service connection was not granted for obstructive sleep apnea, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a bilateral eye disability, residuals of a head injury, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorder, PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, memory loss, insomnia, or a sleep disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his left knee disabilities and their impact on employment. The case will be reviewed again after this additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Osgood-Schlatter disease and left knee degenerative arthritis are causally related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his right and left knee disabilities prior to specific dates have been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis has not resulted in ankylosis or intervertebral disc syndrome with incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least six weeks during the past 12 months, thus preventing him from receiving a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right knee disability is not related to service or his service-connected left knee disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 40 percent for his service-connected low back disorder was withdrawn. The Board granted the TDIU claim, finding that the Veteran is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis and chondromalacia are secondary to his service-connected right knee osteoarthritis, low back strain, and bilateral pes planus. As a result, the appeal is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a retrospective medical evaluation of the Veteran's right knee disability and a supplemental clinical opinion regarding his service connection claim for Hepatitis C. The issues remain on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, characterized as dislocated semilunar lunar cartilage with episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint, was not shown to warrant an evaluation in excess of 20 percent prior to July 19, 2016. The separate compensable evaluation for right knee surgical scars was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for additional medical records. The Board will consider whether his conditions may be related to undiagnosed illness or direct service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected cervical spine, right knee, and surgical scars disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his TDIU and DEA benefits, left him in need of regular aid and attendance. The Board found that he met the criteria for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including osteoarthritis of the right shoulder and dislocation of the left shoulder with osteoarthritis, have been rated appropriately. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU based on his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine was withdrawn. The Board granted service connection for depression and TDIU based on his service-connected conditions.

The Board has found service connection for a right shoulder condition, secondary to the Veteran's left shoulder degenerative arthritis. The Veteran is also granted a rating in excess of 20 percent for his left shoulder degenerative arthritis.

The Board has restored the 30 percent disability rating for the Veteran's left knee disability from August 1, 2010 to August 31, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his employability and the severity of his service-connected disabilities. The case will be reconsidered after additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his employability and the severity of his service-connected disabilities. The case will be reconsidered after additional development.