Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2019

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine and has remanded his claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder to include pleural plaques, secondary to asbestos exposure, and for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to incomplete examinations, lack of adequate range of motion testing, and need for additional medical opinions. The issues include left and right foot disabilities, as well as increased evaluations for low back and right knee conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left hip osteoarthritis is related to his in-service injury, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral knee conditions and associated depressive disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the evidence of record.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that his disability was consistent with no higher than a 20 percent disabling rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip and back disorders due to conflicting evidence regarding their onset during service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine and thoracic lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, but denied service connection for left hip condition, left upper extremity radiculopathy secondary to cervical spine, right upper extremity radiculopathy secondary to cervical spine, left shoulder impingement syndrome with arthritis, left knee osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease, and right knee osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates were denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s PTSD, Headache Syndrome, Degenerative Disc Disease with Degenerative Arthritis of the Thoracolumbar Spine, and Tinnitus are currently rated appropriately.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance due to Zostrix pain cream/capsaicin cream used for his service-connected knee degenerative arthritis is denied because the medication was not prescribed for a skin condition.

The Veteran's TDIU and increased PTSD rating were granted, but the attorney fees for these decisions are denied because no NOD was filed for the PTSD increase.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right hip osteoarthritis, left knee torn medial meniscus, lumbar spine disability, and ruptured left Achilles tendon due to inadequate VA examinations and missing treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus, bilateral knee osteoarthritis, and a sleep disorder are granted. The low back disability claim is remanded due to the need for an adequate VA examination.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for further development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for osteoporosis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and need for additional evidence. The Veteran's right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, left ankle disorder, and right arm glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis are all being reviewed for secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and non-service-connected disability pension benefits due to insufficient information regarding his spouse's social security number, lack of a valid medical opinion linking PTSD to an in-service stressor, and incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran is also being asked to provide more recent income and net worth information.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the issues of right ear hearing loss and left knee osteoarthritis due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his prostatitis, tinnitus, gout, sinusitis, hypertension, and degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's initial 20 percent rating for left ankle disability is granted, with the highest possible rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.