Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's internal derangement status post-surgical repair with scar and osteoarthritis, left knee is rated at 30 percent effective April 22, 2016. The right knee strain, status post meniscectomy with chondrocalcinosis, degenerative joint disease is rated at 30 percent effective April 22, 2016.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, and his TDIU claim from October 11, 2012 to July 12, 2017 was denied due to lack of evidence showing he is unemployable because of service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's diagnosed neck disorder, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service motor vehicle accident. The claim was reopened due to new and material evidence submitted since the prior denial.

The Board denied service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, but remanded the issue of service connection for syphilis due to insufficient evidence.

Service connection is granted for lumbar degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's cervical disability and cause of death are remanded for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability (osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine) and denied service connection for his heart condition (CAD and MI with CHF). The low back condition is considered to be directly related to service, while the heart condition is not linked to any in-service event or exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disorder, back disorder and Meniere’s syndrome with residuals of vertigo.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the remaining issues due to lack of VA treatment records, in-service noise exposure documentation, and other necessary development.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and granted service connection for hypertension. Service connection was remanded for COPD and diabetes mellitus/ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings of her low back and knee disabilities, as well as service connection for a right hip disability, is granted. However, the appeal is only partially successful in that it pertains to reopening the left hip disability claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar arthritis, cervical degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis, and right ankle disorder have been denied as the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted a temporary total rating for convalescence following surgery for right knee bursitis with osteoarthritis. The Veteran's gout is remanded for an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. His initial rating for left knee DJD is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA medical records and conducting additional examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's cervical spine, lumbar spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis changes status post arthroscopic repair is rated at 10 percent, and the Veteran has a separate evaluation of 10 percent for right knee instability. The Veteran’s tinnitus is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling.,For his cervical spine conditions, the Veteran has been granted evaluations in excess of 20 percent from February 5, 2015. His lumbar spine condition remains at a 20 percent evaluation prior to February 5, 2015 and is rated as 40 percent disabling after that date.,The Veteran's progressive muscle atrophy associated with spondylosis with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine has been remanded for further review. His sleep apnea remains at a 50 percent evaluation, and his radiculopathy conditions have also been remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, rated at 10 percent, is not found to be more severe than what is currently reflected by the rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected cervical spine disability was denied because he failed to report for a VA examination scheduled in November 2014.

The Veteran's appeal is mixed. The Board denied a higher rating for hypertension, but remanded the issues of increased ratings for bilateral knee osteoarthritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left-hand and right-hand degenerative arthritis due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is also being remanded for a new evaluation of his scar condition.

The Board denied service connection for a right great toe disability and bilateral plantar calcaneal spurs, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service or any service-connected condition.