Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining in-service treatment records and providing a new VA examination.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant through his authorized representative before a decision was made.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right knee disability, including osteoarthritis and chondromalacia patella, manifested during his military service and is etiologically related to his service. The sinus disability, including allergic rhinitis with superimposed acute sinusitis, also manifested during his military service and is causally related to his service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine are related to his active service, with all reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn for certain issues, and he is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and conducting a new VA examination to assess his right wrist injury. The TDIU claim will also be remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis status post total knee arthroplasty is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis. The rating for the right knee disability remains at 30 percent prior to October 30, 2012, and a separate 10 percent rating has been granted for instability of the right knee since that date.

The case is REMANDED for the following actions: (1) Adjudicate the issues of entitlement to an effective date prior to March 19, 2003, for the grant of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus and entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss; if the benefits sought cannot be granted, issue a statement of the case in accordance with applicable law and regulations. (2) Obtain VA treatment records from September 2014 to the present. (3) Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess the nature and severity of his service connected residuals from a lumbar spine herniated disc with degenerative arthritis. The examiner should determine whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran has a neurologic disability impacting either of his lower extremities that is the result of his service connected back disability. (4) Then readjudicate the appeal.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 30 percent since October 1, 2014. The rating is based on arthritis and symptomatic residuals of a meniscectomy.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for cervical spine degenerative arthritis was denied, and the issues of service connection for sleep apnea and TDIU were also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records, Social Security Administration (SSA) records, and reschedule the Veteran for an examination regarding his right knee disability. The claim will be adjudicated again after obtaining these records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and the provision of relevant medical records. The issues regarding his right shoulder, lumbar spine, and left heel spur are not yet resolved.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent since October 25, 2011. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period prior to October 25, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records, Social Security Administration (SSA) documents, USPS records, and a supplemental statement of the case on his TDIU claim.

The Board found that the reduction of the rating from 40% to 10% for the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability was proper, effective October 1, 2010.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a right shoulder/clavicle disorder, hypertension, lumbar spine disorder, obesity, or osteoarthritis (left knee). The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected. The psychiatric, low back, elbow, and knee disorders are not service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding medical records and ensuring proper notification.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and to issue a Statement of the Case on several issues.