Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the spine and left knee ACL tear with patellofemoral from November 10, 2016 due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the pending nature of his other service-connected disability claims. The Board finds that his TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with his other claims.

The Veteran's claim for a separate disability rating for right knee degenerative arthritis is denied as his current rating already accounts for the limitation of extension of the right knee.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee osteoarthritis and right knee instability due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his knee conditions, which are currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee arthritis and right hip osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his service due to continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, chronic kidney disease, prostate disorder, and osteoarthritis, all of which were presumed to be related to herbicide exposure in service. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service or any incident therein.

The Veteran's death was not caused by, or substantially or materially contributed to, by a service-connected disability.,VA did not find that the Veteran’s death was due to VA negligence in providing care.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence of record regarding his right knee and right leg disorders. The earlier effective date claim is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew it during the hearing.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative arthritis prior to August 10, 2017 was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative arthritis from August 10, 2017 was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the issues of bilateral hearing loss and an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for hypertension.,Service connection for a left ventricular hypertrophy is granted, subject to further review.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's back conditions are related to service. The effective date of service connection for osteoarthritis of the left ankle with lateral collateral ligament sprain remains October 28, 2014.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral foot disability, non degenerative arthritis or gout. However, the issue of whether this condition is secondary to his service-connected hypertension remains under remand.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for separate service connection for degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, finding that these symptoms are already contemplated by the existing grant of service connection for a cervical strain.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.,The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with moderate spondylosis (claimed as back injury), requesting additional medical opinion regarding the onset and relationship to service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a left ankle disability was granted with an initial rating of 20 percent effective March 20, 2012. The current rating has been adjusted to reflect the severity of his condition since August 2, 2017.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for status post femur fracture, limitation of flexion of the left hip, and left hip impairment of the thigh has been denied. The maximum schedular rating for each condition is already in place.,An initial compensable rating for left hip, impairment of the thigh prior to May 14, 2019, and thereafter was not granted due to lack of evidence showing flexion limited to 30 degrees or less.,The Veteran's status post femur fracture has been rated at a noncompensable level since May 4, 2011. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under DCs 5251 and 5252.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for ddd of the lumbosacral spine, osteoarthritis of the right knee, and osteoarthritis of the left knee due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis likely began during service and granted his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for her bilateral knee disabilities was denied. She is currently rated at 20 percent for each knee, with separate 20 percent ratings for moderate instability in both knees.

The Veteran's current benign prostate hypertrophy, hypertension, and other conditions are not service-connected as they did not have their onset in active military service or for many years thereafter, nor is it shown to be related to such service.