Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain updated medical evidence and for the appellant to be afforded an examination. The appeal will be processed as if the hearing request was withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the claims of service connection, increased ratings, and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, osteoarthritis of the right hand, and a right elbow disability due to lack of current disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss and degenerative arthritis of the right foot have been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar and cervical spine disabilities has been withdrawn. The Board dismissed the appeal as to the issue of an increased rating for the service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is not related to service, and her right ear hearing loss does not meet VA criteria for a disability. The left hand disability is presumed based on an in-service event.

The Board denied a compensable disability rating for traumatic degenerative osteoarthritis of the third metacarpal phalangeal joint of the right hand, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant such a rating.

The Veteran's right foot disability, which includes degenerative arthritis of the talonavicular and subtalor joints, is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board found that his condition more closely approximates a moderately severe rather than severe disability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his right ring finger disability and any related right hand dysfunction. The TDIU claim will also be developed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA examinations and attempting to verify a claimed in-service stressor. The case will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hip osteoarthritis as aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is not service-connected, and there is no evidence to support a claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to the December 2000 surgery.

The Board found insufficient evidence to establish a service-connected neurological disorder of the bilateral lower extremities, attributing it to radiculopathy rather than peripheral neuropathy.,The Veteran's bilateral knee arthritis was determined to be related to his period of service due to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's claim for service connection and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection or entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of both his right and left hand joints. The case will be remanded for a new VA examination, additional medical records retrieval, and consideration of all evidence.

The Board has determined that the claims for increased ratings and service connection are inextricably intertwined with the TDIU claim. Therefore, the TDIU claim is not yet ripe for appellate review and must be deferred pending readjudication of the other remanded claims.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right hip osteoarthritis and trochanteric bursitis, and right knee disability were denied. The Veteran was not granted any increased ratings.

The Veteran's temporary total disability evaluation for his service-connected low back osteoarthritis is granted until September 1, 2013. The Board finds that the Veteran's convalescence from surgery related to his service-connected condition was going well as of August 2013.