Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service connection claims for posttraumatic injury of the left palmar fingers with nerve and tendon involvement and degenerative arthritis were denied as his preexisting conditions did not increase in severity during service.

The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis of the left hip and left ear hearing loss.,The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for a heart condition prior to its decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to July 21, 2015 rendered her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of her medical records.

The Board denied service connection for right hip posttraumatic degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition was not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for clothing allowances for his service-connected back, left knee and left ankle braces was denied as the braces did not wear and tear his clothing.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee disabilities. The issues are inextricably intertwined with the TDIU issue.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder does not require the care or assistance of another on a regular basis, and he is not housebound due to his service-connected disability. Therefore, entitlement to SMC based on aid and attendance or housebound status is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete medical opinions. The Veteran's Parkinson’s disease, hypertension, heart disorder, arthritis, and esophagus disorder are being reviewed again to determine if they are related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he passed away.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for residuals of a head injury, an acquired psychiatric disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The effective dates for the awards are not addressed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for intervertebral disc syndrome (IDVS) with degenerative arthritis and spondylosis is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has remanded the cases due to unclear dates and duration of additional active service after June 1991, and requests further development to obtain any associated service treatment records.

The Veteran's request to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disability is granted.,The Veteran's requests to reopen the claims of service connection for residuals of a bilateral super rectus fader operation, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety are granted.,Service connection for bipolar disorder is granted.,An earlier effective date of December 5, 2005, but not earlier, for the award of service connection for a left ankle sprain is granted.,An earlier effective date of December 5, 2005, but not earlier, for the award of service connection for a right ankle sprain is granted.,An earlier effective date of February 22, 2012, but not earlier, for the award of an increased rating to 10 percent for status post left wrist trauma with arthroscopy with triangular fibrocartilage complex is granted.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the award of an increased rating of 10 percent for the right wrist sprain is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the grant of service connection for hypertension is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the grant of service connection for status post left foot trauma is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the grant of service connection for status post left knee ACL repair and medial meniscectomy with residual degenerative arthritis is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the grant of service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 30, 2012, for the grant of service connection for chronic cervical strain is denied.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder strain and right shoulder DJD, finding no evidence of a chronic condition during or after service. The Veteran's current conditions are not considered to be related to his military service.,Service connection was also denied for the Veteran's right knee disorder, including a meniscal tear that pre-existed service and degenerative joint disease (Osteoarthritis) which developed post-service.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted with a 100% rating, effective November 19, 2015. The remaining claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to the service-connected residuals of shell fragment wound. The right hip DJD, impairment of the thigh, and muscle injury are all rated at 50 percent. The deep and nonlinear scar on the right lower extremity is rated at 10 percent, while the superficial and linear scar is rated at 0 percent. Service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD with persistent depressive disorder is currently rated as 100% disabling, effective July 17, 2017. The Board denied an earlier effective date prior to this date.,Service connection for a right shoulder disability was not granted due to lack of evidence showing the presence of such a condition during service or at any time thereafter.,The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is found to be related to service, and service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeals seeking higher ratings for his lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities, as well as entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these appeals.