Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing due to the failure to timely file an appeal on some of the new issues.

The Veteran's current lumbar spine osteoarthritis is found to be related to his active duty service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities and service connection for a shoulder disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is proximately due to his service-connected right knee disorders, and thus grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hip osteoarthritis and PTSD, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board grants a TDIU effective October 1, 2013.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for immune thrombocytic purpura, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and hypertension are being remanded due to outstanding STRs not being available. A VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a Board hearing. The claims of service connection and increased ratings are not addressed in this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and a shrapnel wound scar on the left arm, finding that there is sufficient evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left knee degenerative arthritis, which was previously rated as 10 percent disabling, has been granted. The current disability is now rated at 10 percent effective from the date of the January 2013 rating decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent prior to June 14, 2011, and 60 percent from August 1, 2012. The claim for service connection for right knee disability is granted as secondary to the service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's right shoulder osteoarthritis is rated at 20 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available under VA regulations. The Veteran’s alopecia areata has not been shown to be related to service and remains noncompensably rated.,Service connection for a left foot disability was granted in full.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to a separate 10 percent rating for instability of each knee, as his subjective reports of instability are considered. The current ratings for patellofemoral osteoarthritis do not account for this instability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee conditions, including tricompartmental degenerative joint disease and gout, are not related to his service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder impingement, partial rotator cuff tear, and arthritis as well as bilateral hip arthritis. The Veteran is also awarded an initial compensable disability rating of 10% for her service-connected anemia.

The Veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis have been rated at 10 percent since February 29, 2012. The initial rating period from August 1, 2008 to February 29, 2012 was granted as noncompensable (0 percent).

The Veteran is unemployable due to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities as of April 10, 2010. Prior to that date, he was gainfully employed and his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's left knee strain was rated at 10 percent prior to July 18, 2016. Service connection for costochondritis was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and development of his claims, including a review of his education and occupational history to determine if he is unemployable due to service-connected left wrist disability.