Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2018

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis and low back degenerative arthritis. The appeal regarding right ear pain and headaches is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee and right wrist arthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle and bilateral knee conditions are being remanded for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his disabilities, as well as for obtaining any relevant treatment records.

This appeal is dismissed. The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for the post-surgical status of his left knee menisci and cruciate ligament, as well as degenerative arthritis of his left knee, are dismissed. His claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder is denied.,Entitlement to a compensable rating for post-surgical scars of the left knee is remanded. The Veteran's entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension is also remanded. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder is remanded, as well as whether the Veteran was properly compensated for his dependent spouse.,Entitlement to service connection for post-surgical scars of the left knee is remanded. The Veteran's entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension is also remanded. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder is remanded, as well as whether the Veteran was properly compensated for his dependent spouse.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's osteoarthritis of the right ankle, left ankle, and bilateral pes planus are related to his military service, specifically his in-service parachute jumps. As a result, the claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's right elbow sprain has been rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as he does not have flexion limited to less than 105 degrees.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address his claims of service connection and increased rating for knee conditions, as well as a low back disorder.

The Veteran's back condition warrants a 40 percent rating for the entire appeal period.,Radiculopathy of the lower extremities is rated at 10 percent from September 15, 2009 to October 14, 2015.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder degenerative arthritis, right shoulder degenerative arthritis, and degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 s/p L4-L5 laminectomy and discectomy due to a lack of proper notification for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis was denied as the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA's General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee osteoarthritis and left knee degenerative joint disease were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent, and the Board has remanded for further review. The Veteran's TDIU claim prior to October 27, 2015, was also remanded due to unemployability caused by service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right foot/ankle condition is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing an examination.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional disability due to right TKA at the Cincinnati VAMC in January 1998, finding that the procedure was completed without complication and no evidence of fault on VA's part.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and clarification of the Veteran's hearing loss disability, as well as for a new examination to determine the current severity of his left knee osteoarthritis.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee disabilities, but has remanded the issue of service connection for a spine disability (neck).

The Board found that the Veteran's current left shoulder and left knee disabilities are not related to his active service, thus denying the claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities resulted in the need for hinged knee braces, which caused wear on his clothing. The Board found that all reasonable doubt should be resolved in favor of the Veteran, granting a clothing allowance for the 2014 calendar year.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete disability ratings and the need for VA examinations. The Veteran's claim for SMP is also pending.

The Board has not received all of the Veteran's VA treatment records, particularly those from December 2013 to August 2016. The RO is required to obtain these records as they may affect the rating for the Veteran’s knee and heel conditions.