Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar strain is not found to be the cause of her degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and sciatica.,The Veteran's loss of teeth and residuals of dental treatment are not considered a compensable disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disability. The examiner is asked to provide a new opinion addressing the onset and progression of the Veteran’s back disabilities during her service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral knee disorders due to a lack of X-ray results from his October 2014 VA examination.

The Veteran's right foot metatarsalgia with degenerative arthritis is granted a 20% disability rating, effective November 19, 2014. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for back and left sciatic nerve radiculopathy.

The Veteran's initial claim for a 10 percent disability rating for his low back disability was granted effective February 12, 2007. The rating was increased to 40 percent from February 23, 2010.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis of both hips was aggravated by his service-connected right and left knee disabilities, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not shown to be related to service, as there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or chronic symptoms within one year post-service. Frostbite is also not considered a compensable disability.,Frostbite residuals are not recognized by VA for compensation purposes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis, left shoulder disability, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been denied as there is no evidence of a link between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for Personality Disorder, Left Leg Disability (including residuals of a horseback injury), Back Disability, Skin or Groin Disability, and Residuals of Head Injury as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection has been granted. The left knee scars are rated at 10 percent, right knee arthritis is rated at 10 percent, and the Veteran was granted new and material evidence to reopen his claims for service connection of various conditions including PTSD, depressive disorder, sleep apnea, gastritis, GERD, and others.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, but granted service connection for degenerative arthritis and multi-level degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability, subject to legal authority. The claims of entitlement to service connection for obesity, sleep apnea, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding their relationship to his service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle and knee disabilities, as well as his bilateral hearing loss disability, were not shown to have had their onset in service or within one year of discharge. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions due to a lack of evidence showing a direct link between the disabilities and service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination for the service-connected low back disability, and a new examination is needed to evaluate the current severity of the Veteran's condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left ankle, right ankle, left hand, right hand, left knee, and right knee has been granted.,Service connection for osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lower back and neck have also been granted.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected cervical and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, along with right and left upper extremity radiculopathy. High cholesterol or hyperlipidemia is denied due to it being a mere laboratory finding. Service connection for hypertension and residuals of stroke are also granted, but the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for these grants remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity. The claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis (DA) of the lumbar spine and hiatal hernia are denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an addendum opinion to address whether the Veteran's left knee disorder is related to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for right hip osteoarthritis and TDIU due to inadequate examination findings.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right shoulder, lumbar spine, and right knee degenerative arthritis have been denied as the evidence does not show that his conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability rating under the applicable rating schedule.