Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.,Service connection was denied because there was no clear and unmistakable evidence showing pre-existing lumbar spine condition in service, and the VA examiner found no permanent aggravation during service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of abdominal aortic aneurysm and renal mass, as well as his claims for higher ratings on several other disabilities. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings for varicose veins, vasomotor rhinitis, right shoulder impingement syndrome, degenerative arthritis of the right knee, and degenerative arthritis of the left knee are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, headaches, psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder), and PTSD is granted. The claims are based on aggravation of pre-existing conditions during military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left wrist, right wrist, left elbow, and right elbow have been denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left-hand thumb, right-hand thumb, left-hand pinky, right-hand pinky, left shoulder, and right shoulder have been granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support a nexus between her current condition and her in-service injury. The appeal was reopened due to new and material evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA knee examination, and a new one is needed for proper evaluation of the Veteran's right knee condition.

The Veteran's claim for a 10 percent disability rating for limited left leg extension associated with anterior cruciate ligament and lateral meniscus tear with osteoarthritis prior to April 29, 2014 was granted. A rating in excess of 10 percent for the same condition from April 29, 2014 is denied.

The Veteran's request for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left wrist disability has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied due to his failure to provide the necessary information and forms.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left arm, left wrist, and right wrist conditions have been remanded due to the need for further development.,The Veteran is currently rated at 10% for each of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for his right knee degenerative arthritis and a separate rating in excess of 10 percent for his right knee instability due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected left ankle disability and PTSD have been denied. The left ankle disability is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under DC 5271. The PTSD claim has not met the criteria for a higher initial rating.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 30 percent from August 1, 2015 onwards under Diagnostic Code 5055 (reassigned from Diagnostic Code 5010-5260).

The Veteran's right ankle disability was rated at 10% prior to September 1, 2016 and increased to 20% after that date.,The Veteran's right knee instability was rated at 10% before October 12, 2019 and denied after that date.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including a medial meniscus tear and degenerative arthritis, is currently rated at 20 percent. The current evaluation does not meet the criteria for an increased rating as his symptoms do not warrant higher evaluations under relevant diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development of records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and lack of updated medical records, requiring a new evaluation of the Veteran's right shoulder condition.

The Veteran's claims for TDIU prior to July 17, 2015 and an increased rating for his right knee disability are remanded due to the need for additional development. The case for TDIU is not yet ready for extraschedular consideration, and the initial rating appeal for the right knee disability must be addressed.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The Board finds the Veteran has bilateral hearing loss, but remands for further audiometric testing to determine if it meets VA criteria and whether related to service. Service connection for left knee disorder is granted, while right knee disorder remains unresolved.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary to ensure an adequate record for the Veteran's appeal regarding his service-connected left knee disability. The case is being remanded for additional examination and consideration of new evidence.