Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's left shoulder degenerative arthritis is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a back condition and psoriasis were denied. The Board found that the current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the left knee was denied as his disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and degenerative arthritis of the right knee have been denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and her service-connected osteopenia.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PCOS and high blood pressure due to undiagnosed illness are denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and her military service.,Service connection for respiratory disability other than service-connected rhinitis is also denied, with the Board finding that all symptoms have been accounted for by other diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee osteoarthritis and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient examination opinions. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his current conditions, which are related to his service-connected right knee osteoarthritis and conceded noise exposure during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and for increased evaluations of her degenerative arthritis with IVDS of the lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and right knee arthritis. The Board also remanded issues regarding bowel or bladder impairment as secondary to the service-connected lumbar spine disability and TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and persistent depressive disorder with mixed features result in the need for aid and attendance of another person due to memory impairment and the requirement of more than one insulin injection per day.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left shoulder disabilities have not been service-connected.,Service connection for the spine, knee, hip, and depression conditions has also not been established. The effective dates of these determinations are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions. The Veteran will be provided with additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of L5-S1 with osteoarthritis of the thoracic spine is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for right knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's disability picture does not warrant such an increase based on his reported symptoms and examination findings.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 10% for arthritis and a separate 10% rating for the residuals of meniscectomy. The lumbosacral strain with degenerative disease was granted a 20% rating prior to June 12, 2017, but denied any higher rating after that date.,The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period before January 28, 2011 is also remanded.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that the Veteran's osteoarthritis was not related to her military service.

The Board has granted service connection for osteopenia and rheumatoid arthritis of the left hand, right hand with osteoarthritis of the thumb, and lumbosacral strain. The decision is subject to the provisions governing the award of monetary benefits.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete evidence, specifically outstanding service treatment records (STRs) that have not been associated with the claims file. The Veteran's STRs are claimed to be unavailable and efforts to obtain them were unsuccessful.

The Board denied service connection for back disability, finding that the evidence did not show a link between the current condition and service.

The Veteran's service-connected osteoarthritis of the left and right knees, as well as his lumbosacral strain, were denied. The Veteran was not granted a higher rating for his lumbosacral strain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for osteoarthritis and obstructive sleep apnea as they are unclear what specific conditions he is seeking service connection for.