Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, and there is no evidence of an extraschedular rating on appeal. The Board finds that the Veteran is capable of performing light, sedentary occupational activities despite his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including right knee disorder, bilateral eye disorder, low back disorder, bilateral flat feet, degenerative arthritis (arthritis throughout the body), left knee disorder, and hypertension have all been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his right elbow, right knee, and left knee disabilities have been denied. The current evaluations are found to be appropriate.

The Veteran's initial higher ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and right knee disability were denied.,A compensable rating for the scar, post umbilical hernia repair was also denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral foot and ankle disabilities, as well as evaluations for degenerative arthritis of the right knee. The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted service connection as it occurred during a period of inactive duty for training. The lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis issue is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for arthritis of the right distal interphalangeal joint, degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine, degenerative arthritis of the right knee, and depression have all been granted. The Board has found that these conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder degenerative arthritis is at least as likely as not related to his paratrooper activities during active duty, and thus grants service connection for both left and right shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and ischemic heart disease were denied. The Veteran's sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation claims, including as due to herbicide exposure or secondary to service-connected ischemic heart disease, are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis and major depression with personality disorder has been reopened, and the claims are granted. The Board requested additional medical opinions to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's right shoulder osteoarthritis and lumbar spine disc protrusion are currently rated at 20% and 10%, respectively. The Board denied an increased rating for both conditions as the evidence did not show limitation of motion to less than shoulder level or a combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine limited to 120 degrees.

The Board denied all increased rating claims for the Veteran's service-connected conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for any of the disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus with degenerative arthritis has been granted an initial disability rating of 30 percent, effective August 13, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, hearing loss, and PTSD were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection as his conditions are not directly related to his military service.

The Board denied increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees, finding that the evidence did not show flexion limited to 60 degrees or extension limited to 5 degrees in either knee.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of response regarding potential motor vehicle accident records that may be relevant to the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral knee conditions are related to service, specifically his pre-existing femoral retroversion and genu valgum.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since December 12, 2011. The Board has determined that the criteria for TDIU are met as of this date.

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition, right knee osteoarthritis (OA), bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and depression. The Veteran's current disabilities were not shown to have been incurred during or aggravated by active duty service.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2013, for the award of service connection for tinnitus was denied.