Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's mild lumbar spine facet osteoarthritis and breathing disorder (claimed as asthma) were not incurred or aggravated by service.,Service connection was denied for both conditions.

The Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities are granted with a 100% rating, effective prior to December 20, 2017. The acquired psychiatric disorder is also granted at a 100% rating, but only prior to that date.

The Board has decided to remand three issues related to service connection for left knee, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disabilities. The reasons are that the VA opinions provided were inadequate due to inaccurate facts or lack of consideration of the lay and medical evidence.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for various conditions, including right knee disability, ankle disability, degenerative arthritis, and hypertension, was denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has dismissed the claim of service connection for a severe disc condition of the back with nerve condition. The right knee disability, including degenerative arthritis, and other joint disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, low back, and left knee disabilities need further review due to lack of recent medical records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left hand injury and bilateral knee conditions due to incomplete medical records.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee osteoarthritis, a back disability, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction. The claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has decided that a remand is necessary to evaluate the severity of the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis due to potential changes in his condition since the last VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly her lower back and bilateral hip conditions, render her unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. As a result, TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his lumbar spine and right shoulder disabilities have been denied, as well as earlier effective dates for these ratings. The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective June 11, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for left knee osteoarthritis was denied, as the evidence did not show flexion limited to 45 degrees or less, extension limited to 10 degrees or more, ankylosis, objective evidence of recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, impairment of the tibia and fibula, or genu recurvatum.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for left knee surgical scars was denied as there were no other disabling effects not considered in a rating provided under Diagnostic Codes 7800-04.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU in April 2014, and later granted it with an effective date of February 20, 2015. The Veteran requested an earlier effective date, but the Board found no legal entitlement to such.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right acromioclavicular osteoarthritis, with postoperative residuals of a superior labrum, anterior to posterior repair, was incurred during service. The decision is based on the presumption that the condition did not exist prior to service and there is no clear and unmistakable evidence to rebut this presumption.

The claim of entitlement to service connection for sciatica, left lower extremity, is remanded due to the need for verification of active duty and inactive duty training dates. A new VA examination is also required to determine if the condition was incurred in or caused by a period of service.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, but denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board denied his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's right hip osteoarthritis had its onset during active service and is granted. The issues of left eye optic drusen, initial rating for service-connected right ankle strain, initial ratings for service-connected great toe fractures, and service connection for right lateral cutaneous nerve meralgia paresthetica are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 13, 2010 for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder is denied. The earliest effective date available is October 13, 2010.