Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is attributable to service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back, right knee, and head injury disorders are not related to his active service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for a temporary total rating based on left knee surgery necessitating convalescence under 38 C.F.R. � 4.30.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional medical records. The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are at issue.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, and the Board finds that TDIU is not warranted.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain has been rated at 10 percent since March 2009. The Board found that the disability did not warrant a higher rating prior to December 12, 2015 and does not meet criteria for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including new examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting left knee Osgood-Schlatter's disease was not aggravated by service, and thus denied service connection for this condition. However, the Veteran's current diagnosed conditions of patellofemoral pain syndrome and degenerative arthritis are found to be related to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee osteoarthritis conditions. The evidence received since the prior final rating decision relates to a previously unestablished element of these claims - whether the Veteran had current disabilities and if his conditions were attributable to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for a right knee disability. The Veteran's current diagnosis of right knee osteoarthritis is related to his in-service injury, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain missing STRs and to provide a VA examination to determine the etiology of his lumbar spine, bilateral knee, bilateral hip, and bilateral foot disabilities.

The Veteran's upper and low back disabilities are found to be related to service, while his right knee and foot disabilities are also found to be related to service.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis was first diagnosed during active duty service and is presumed to have been incurred in service. The right knee disability and low back disability are not directly related to service, but may be caused or aggravated by the service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine are related to his military service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's medical conditions do not meet the criteria for SMP benefits based on need for aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his representative prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board denied a higher initial evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an increased rating prior to December 16, 2014 and since then.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including instability and osteoarthritis, was rated at 30 percent disabling from August 1, 2014 to the present. The rating is based on chronic residuals of a total knee replacement with intermediate degrees of residual weakness and pain.

The Veteran's lower back disability is currently rated at 60 percent effective November 6, 2012. He also receives a TDIU from November 1, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected right knee disability and left knee disability were denied. The Veteran's right knee was rated based on traumatic osteoarthritis with torn medial meniscus, while the left knee was rated at 30 percent since December 1, 2013.