Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn for the issues of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability and entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability. The Board has no further jurisdiction over these matters.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ankle disorder and his bilateral tinea unguium of the toenails affects less than 5 percent of his total body area. The Veteran's impairment of the right thigh due to osteoarthritis warrants an initial compensable rating, but limitation of flexion of the right thigh due to osteoarthritis does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is related to his in-service injury, and thus service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee is granted. The issue of service connection for left knee disorder remains pending as it may be related to military service or secondary to a now-service-connected condition. Service connection for hearing loss in the right ear cannot be established without resorting to mere speculation.

The Veteran's left and right ankle degenerative arthritis are currently rated at 20 percent each, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations.,The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations.,The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations.,The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis and ligament instability are both currently rated at 10 percent each, with a separate 20 percent rating for ligament instability of the right knee prior to May 2, 2017, and higher than 20 percent from that date.,There is no specific service connection theory provided in this decision.

The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder is rated at 70 percent, and his left knee instability is not entitled to a higher rating.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right hand degenerative joint disease is related to service, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's left knee retropatellar pain syndrome with osteoarthritis, finding that his flexion limitation did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at the highest possible under the applicable diagnostic codes based on limitation of motion, with higher ratings requiring ankylosis. The Board finds that the evidence supports a grant of a 40 percent rating for the entire appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left hip disability is related to his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc and joint disease, and therefore grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA examination results and addressing the service connection claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, or knee disabilities during any portion of the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is attributable to service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back, right knee, and head injury disorders are not related to his active service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for a temporary total rating based on left knee surgery necessitating convalescence under 38 C.F.R. � 4.30.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional medical records. The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are at issue.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, and the Board finds that TDIU is not warranted.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain has been rated at 10 percent since March 2009. The Board found that the disability did not warrant a higher rating prior to December 12, 2015 and does not meet criteria for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including new examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting left knee Osgood-Schlatter's disease was not aggravated by service, and thus denied service connection for this condition. However, the Veteran's current diagnosed conditions of patellofemoral pain syndrome and degenerative arthritis are found to be related to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee osteoarthritis conditions. The evidence received since the prior final rating decision relates to a previously unestablished element of these claims - whether the Veteran had current disabilities and if his conditions were attributable to service.