Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for a nervous disorder, tinnitus, right wrist degenerative arthritis, and obstructive sleep apnea due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing an examination to address the issues of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for left wrist status post-surgery and service connection for migraine headaches.

The Veteran's service connection claims for sleep apnea and left hip disability are denied. The cervical spine and right shoulder disabilities have been remanded.,Service connection is being considered on the merits for the Veteran’s claimed conditions, but secondary service connection will be evaluated.

The Board denied service connection for right knee and left knee disabilities, but granted service connection for PTSD with depression and anxiety.,Secondary service connection was granted for the Veteran's left knee disability as it is related to his right knee disability.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding no evidence of a causal link to active service. The claim for left foot/pes cavus was remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and development of records. The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated based on osteoarthritis with limited motion and dislocation, but further clarification is needed regarding the nature and extent of the service-connected disability.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for the Veteran's left knee disability, finding that his symptoms did not warrant such a higher rating based on limitation of motion and meniscal symptomatology.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his right shoulder disability was denied. Prior to July 5, 2017, the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability was rated at 30 percent and from July 5, 2017, it was rated at 50 percent.,The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any period of time.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, with painful motion and for entitlement to TDIU due to inadequate VA examination findings. The Veteran is required to provide updated VA treatment records, complete and submit a VA Form 21-8940, and provide completed VA Forms 21-4192 from his identified employer(s).

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and associated meniscal tear were rated at 10 percent prior to March 23, 2016. A separate rating of 20 percent was granted for the semilunar cartilage dislocation.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for tension headaches was denied as the evidence did not show very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.,The Veteran's anxiety disorder was rated at 50 percent, which is the highest schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 9413.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc syndrome was denied. The Board found that there is no evidence to support a finding that the current disabilities are related to service, resulting in denial.

The Veteran's left shoulder dislocation is not productive of more than infrequent episodes and guarding of movement at the shoulder level, warranting a 20 percent rating.,The Veteran's left shoulder DJD is productive of flexion to no worse than 90 degrees and abduction to 60 degrees, with no evidence of ankylosis or dislocation, warranting a 20 percent rating.,The Veteran's right shoulder degenerative arthritis is productive of flexion to no worse than 120 degrees and abduction to 100 degrees, with no evidence of ankylosis or dislocation, warranting a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating was dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal as the appellant is deceased.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis resulted in abnormal gait prior to November 26, 2014.,For the entire period on appeal, the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis did not meet criteria for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist is currently rated at 30 percent, but a higher rating is not warranted.,Prior to August 13, 2012, his degenerative arthritis of the left knee with a Baker's cyst was rated at 10 percent. A higher rating is not warranted for this condition either.,His residuals of total left knee arthroplasty are currently rated at 30 percent since October 1, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to the need to address medical literature submitted by the Veteran regarding his service-connected disabilities and their potential impact on his left lower extremity disorder.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's appeals for a compensable rating for chloracne and for service connection for a right shoulder disability. The claims of entitlement to service connection for low back, right knee, and bilateral hearing loss have been reopened due to new and material evidence being received.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and consideration due to incomplete records, including personnel records and treatment records. The Veteran was not notified of missing records or given an opportunity to respond.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss has been reopened and granted. The case is remanded for further examination to determine the current severity of his left knee disability, and for an examination to verify in-service stressors and assess any acquired psychiatric disorder.