Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2019

The Board has ordered a remand for further development of the Veteran’s bilateral knee claims, including addressing issues related to flare-ups and swelling.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU due to inadequate medical opinions regarding his bilateral osteoarthritis of the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints, as well as a need for further development related to his right wrist disability.

The Veteran's hypertension and prostate cancer are being remanded for further development.,Service connection is also being remanded for the Veteran’s knee disabilities, as well as his thoracolumbar spine disability. The effective dates of service connection will be determined based on the evidence provided during this process.,A TDIU rating is also being remanded due to the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to clarify the etiology of the Veteran's left foot and ankle disorder, specifically addressing his in-service injuries.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for her bilateral knee disabilities have been remanded due to the need for further evaluation and evidence.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability, and thus remands the case for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including those related to lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine strain, left knee disability, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability. The appeal for erectile dysfunction was also withdrawn.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability due to new evidence. The case is remanded for further development and examination.

The Veteran's current degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is granted as service connected. The issues regarding bilateral knee disabilities are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's left knee instability and osteoarthritis are being remanded for further evaluation due to worsening symptoms since her last VA examination.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the tibiotalar joints with scars was granted a 40 percent rating from February 2, 2015. Prior to that date, he received a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative arthritis of the knees is granted as it was incurred in service.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to presumed herbicide exposure. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hyperhidrosis or any other sweating disability, and his GERD and hiatal hernia are also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability was denied in 2008 and later reopened. The new evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim, so it is denied. However, the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability was reopened due to new evidence related to his Vietnam service. Service connection is granted for the bilateral shoulder disability.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent for limitation of flexion, but no separate ratings are granted for instability or dislocation.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, right hip, left hip, right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, and right foot disabilities are remanded for further development. The Veteran's heart disorder, hypertension, and Parkinson's disease claims are also remanded.

The Veteran's initial rating for degenerative arthritis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) of each foot is denied as her disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities and lumbar spine strain have been evaluated, but no increased ratings are warranted.,Specifically, the Veteran's left and right knees do not meet criteria for a compensable disability rating due to instability or recurrent subluxation. The Veteran’s lumbar spine strain has been granted with a specific rating, but no higher.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical spine condition as secondary to his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability. The VA examiner found insufficient evidence to support the Veteran’s contentions that his cervical spine condition is caused by or etiologically related to his service-connected thoraco-lumbar spine.,The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his right and left knee conditions, finding no evidence to support a higher rating based on limitation of flexion.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, finding no causal link between the current condition and active duty service. The Veteran's claim was based on his belief that he injured his knee during sea duty in service, but medical evidence did not support this claim.