Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for right knee osteoarthritis as it was not caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in functional equivalent loss of use of his feet, which may qualify him for automobile and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only benefits.

The Veteran's left shoulder residuals and degenerative arthritis are rated at 20 percent from February 27, 2013. The Veteran's multilevel degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is rated at 10 percent from April 23, 2015.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's low back disability is related to his service, and a new VA medical opinion is needed.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including chronic back disability, osteoarthritis of the knees bilaterally, anxiety disorder, hypertension, lumbar radiculopathy, and cholelithiasis. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and a rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder disability from July 1, 2015 due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's claim for service connection is based on new and material evidence.

Your claims for increased evaluations and restoration of a 40 percent evaluation for your service-connected lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with invertebral degenerative syndrome are being remanded to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is linked to his current lumbar spine disability.,The RO has restored a 20% rating for the Veteran’s cervical spine disability and assigned a 30% rating effective January 30, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, bilateral foot disability, and damaged femoral nerve. The Veteran's right knee OA is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and right knee disorders are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claims. The Board will seek further medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of a right knee disability due to new and material evidence. However, it denied the claim as there is no evidence that the current right knee disability was incurred or aggravated during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his thoracolumbar spine disorder and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding flare-ups.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability and secondary service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to the right knee disability due to lack of evidence linking current conditions to service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed. The Board also remanded several issues for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of service connection for hypertension, right lower extremity musculoskeletal disability (arthritis/right knee osteoarthritis), left lower extremity joint disability (arthritis/left knee osteoarthritis), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, and therefore grants TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her osteoarthritis of the thoracic and lumbar spine with IVDS was denied in all periods due to lack of evidence showing ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral foot arthritis, bilateral flatfoot, pes planus, osteoarthritis of the feet, and plantar fasciitis due to failure to report to scheduled examinations. The Veteran's claims are now pending again with the RO.

Service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and a 50 percent rating for PTSD with alcohol dependence are granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. Initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left shoulder osteoarthritis are denied.

The Board has denied service connection for left shoulder, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and right knee disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty or service-connected conditions. The case is remanded for further development.