Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders due to new evidence submitted since the last denial. However, the claims are still remanded as additional medical examinations are needed to determine if these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examination and review due to deficiencies in previous examinations, including those related to pain on motion and radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left ankle and low back disability, including as secondary to a service-connected left ankle fracture, were denied. The claim for an increased rating for left ankle disability was granted with a 20 percent evaluation effective October 19, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his left knee disability and determine if there are any flare-ups or functional impairments. The claims will be re-adjudicated after this development.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral arm disorder, neck disorder, osteoarthritis of the right knee, bilateral hearing loss, and headaches. The decision also noted that the Veteran's tinnitus was rated at 10%.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and right hip disability, finding that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's assertions of in-service injury or disease. The preponderance of the evidence supports the VA examiners' opinions that these conditions are not related to military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disorder has been denied as there is no evidence of current disability.,Service connection for insomnia, claimed as a sleeping disorder, has also been denied due to lack of etiological relationship with active service.

The Veteran's right hip disability was initially rated at 10% prior to September 14, 2009 and increased to 20% from September 14, 2009 to June 7, 2010. The Board denied a higher rating for the period after June 7, 2010.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as moot because she has a combined 100 percent schedular rating for rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions, making her unemployability due to service-connected disabilities moot.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as he failed to report for a scheduled VA examination without good cause.

The Board has determined that the VA etiological opinion is inadequate and requires additional examination to address all relevant in-service and current diagnoses, as well as the Veteran's reported history of chronic lower back pain.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a left knee disorder, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a low back disability, osteoarthritis of an unspecified joint, cataracts, and hypertension due to insufficient evidence on the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation and rating of his knee conditions. The case will be considered again after the additional development.

The Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis (psoriatic arthritis) is service connected. However, his bilateral total knee replacement was due to osteoarthritis and not related to psoriatic arthritis or Hepatitis C.

The Board has remanded several issues, including the right inguinal hernia scar rating and service connection for various disabilities. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed due to a lack of recent VA examinations and potential procedural errors.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an eye condition, left hip disability, left leg disability, left shoulder disability, heart disability, and osteoarthritis has been reopened. However, the Board found no current disabilities related to these conditions.

The Veteran's right shoulder impingement syndrome with degenerative arthritis is granted a 40 percent rating, effective October 13, 2016.,Left knee patellofemoral syndrome issues are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's left knee patellar tendonitis with degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 20 percent, and the lumbar spine sprain with degenerative arthritis is also rated at 20 percent. Both conditions are denied for increased ratings.,Both disabilities have been evaluated based on their direct service connection without any presumption or secondary theory of service connection.