Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a right elbow disorder and right upper extremity neuropathy are remanded.,The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for various conditions, including right wrist sprain, lumbar strain, hip trochanteric bursitis, ankle sprains, and headaches, are also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his intervertebral disc syndrome, lumbosacral strain, and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine were denied as they did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings.

The Board has decided to remand five issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of various joints and peripheral neuropathy/radiculopathy. These include shoulder, spine, hip, knee conditions as well as bilateral lower extremity conditions.

The Board has referred the issue of service connection for a right shoulder disorder to the AOJ. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is remanded due to the need for a comprehensive VA examination and an addendum opinion from an orthopedic surgeon.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his left shoulder condition is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and determine if Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits are affecting this case.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses of lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, spinal spondylosis, and neuroforaminal stenosis are related to his active service.

The Veteran's left knee arthritis with narrowing of the medial compartment is rated at 10 percent, and a separate 20 percent rating for the meniscal tear is granted since July 27, 2007.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including gathering information about his employment history and considering any periods of marginal employment.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the thoracolumbar spine is being remanded due to inadequate examination and missing VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant requested to withdraw his appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased evaluations for various service-connected disabilities due to new evidence received since the last adjudication.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, and residuals of a right foot injury. The issues regarding initial evaluations for DJD/OA of the left knee and DDD of the spine are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the feet, including on a secondary basis, is being remanded due to new evidence contradicting previous findings and requiring further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, a rating in excess of 20 percent for his right shoulder impingement syndrome with bicipital tendon tear, rotator cuff tear, and degenerative arthritis, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his hemorrhoids, and a temporary total rating for convalescence following surgery for his service-connected hemorrhoids.,The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current right knee disability or right shoulder disability. The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated as 20 percent disabling under DC 5201 due to limited abduction, but no higher because there was no evidence of ankylosis.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disorders, headache disorder, right ear hearing loss, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with IVDS (rhegulopathy), left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left ear hearing loss have all been denied. The Board found no current disabilities related to these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected left foot condition, manifested by pain on motion and degenerative arthritis of the left great toe, is granted a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's right knee disability, as manifest by recurrent subluxation, had not undergone sustained improvement. The RO reduced the 30 percent evaluation to noncompensable effective February 1, 2015, but restored it to 30 percent effective February 1, 2015, to February 27, 2016.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, effective November 14, 2017. The Board denied a higher rating prior to that date and found no evidence of ankylosis or incapacitating episodes warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's death was not caused by service-connected conditions, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure in Thailand. The claim for accrued benefits is denied because the Veteran had no pending claims at the time of his death. The cause of death (cardiopulmonary arrest due to age, underlying cardiac disease, and coronary artery disease) was not caused by service-connected conditions or presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee and bilateral flat feet as additional evidence was submitted without a waiver of AOJ consideration.