Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2021

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his claim for an increased rating of 20 percent or more for right shoulder disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for degenerative arthritis, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability due to a lack of probative evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his left knee disability was denied. The Board granted an increased evaluation of 60 percent from December 1, 2012, with the exception of periods of temporary total ratings. A separate 10 percent rating was granted for a left knee medial meniscus injury for the period March 15, 2010 to October 14, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and that any current arthritis is not related to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left hip disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service or continuity of symptomatology. The preponderance of the evidence did not support a link between the current hip disability and an in-service injury.

The Board has found that remand is necessary due to the lack of treatment records from Falk Chiropractic Wellness and Weight Loss Center, and an inadequate cervical spine examination. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's appeals regarding right and left knee disabilities have been withdrawn, resulting in their dismissal.,The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for his right and left foot hallux valgus are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knees have been granted, with separate ratings of 20% each prior to May 10, 2011 (left knee) and May 4, 2019 (right knee). A separate 10% rating has also been granted for slight lateral instability of the right knee. The Veteran's knees have also manifested joint effusion from meniscus tears throughout the period on appeal.

The Veteran's appeals regarding increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee osteoarthritis, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hand disorders (polymyositis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis) due to exposure to cold weather during active duty in Korea. The decision is based on the benefit of doubt.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities have been denied. The right knee is rated at 10% for flexion limitation, but no extension rating has been granted. A separate 10% rating was granted for instability in the right knee effective January 27, 2015. For the left knee, a 10% rating remains denied prior to April 20, 2015, and a higher rating is also denied post-total knee replacement.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for shell fragment wounds of the left leg, thigh, and lung have been denied. The VA has determined that a disability rating greater than 20 percent is not warranted for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to November 18, 2014 for service connection of chronic thoracolumbar strain with osteoarthritis and spolyoantheriolisthesis lumbar, associated radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and associated radiculopathy of the left lower extremity were denied.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to November 18, 2014 for service connection of radiculopathy of the right lower extremity were denied.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to November 18, 2014 for service connection of radiculopathy of the left lower extremity were denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection were denied. The right knee condition was rated at 10 percent, the lumbar spine degenerative arthritis claim was not granted due to lack of nexus, and the left sciatic nerve condition claim was also not granted as it is secondary to a non-service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for residuals of a left ankle fracture with degenerative arthritis, finding that the disability picture is adequately contemplated by the rating schedule.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were addressed. The left knee degenerative arthritis was granted a 10% rating, the right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome prior to September 18, 2019 was granted a 20% rating, and the right knee instability prior to September 25, 2020 was granted a 10% rating. The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings beyond these dates were denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA opinions in previous decisions. The case is returned for further action, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has denied service connection for osteoarthritis of the left and right knees, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic disease or injury in service that led to current disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral flat feet and left knee disability as additional development is needed to determine if his conditions were aggravated by service, and to obtain an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the severity of his disabilities.