Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and left knee, status total replacement are currently rated at the minimum levels allowed by law. The VA examiners found no evidence of severe painful motion or weakness in either knee that would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and adjudicating the issue of service connection for obesity. The Veteran's claim for bilateral foot disorders will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected cervical spine arthritis was denied. The evidence did not support a finding that the disability warranted a higher rating based on functional loss, muscle spasm, guarding, localized tenderness, vertebral body fracture, intervertebral disc syndrome requiring bed rest prescribed by a physician, or associated neurological impairment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability and entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent, prior to May 25, 2010, and from August 1, 2010, for left knee post-traumatic degenerative arthritis are being addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right and left wrists have been rated at 10 percent since December 5, 2008. The ratings remain unchanged as of July 28, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee lateral release and medial reefing with degenerative arthritis has been dismissed as the claim was not perfected within one year from the notification of the denial. The right knee disorder claim is reopened due to new evidence received since the November 2006 decision.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for left wrist scaphoid fracture has been granted at a 10 percent evaluation, effective October 31, 2008. The current diagnosis is degenerative arthritis with painful limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for osteoarthritis of the right ankle was denied, as his current disability level does not warrant a higher evaluation. The service connection claim for alcohol induced anxiety disorder, claimed as depression with alcohol dependency secondary to osteoarthritis of the right ankle, was also denied due to lack of legal merit.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to the need for new VA examinations and retrieval of relevant treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis and right knee osteoarthritis are not related to her service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service onset or chronicity.,Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis is denied as there is no evidence of its manifestation during service, and the April 2013 VA examiner opined that it is unrelated to service.

The Veteran is granted an annual clothing allowance for the year 2011 due to his service-connected knee disabilities causing premature wear of his clothing.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis, is not due to disease or injury that was incurred in or aggravated by service; nor may it be presumed to have been incurred therein. The VA examiner opined that the etiology of the Veteran's current left ankle condition was wear and tear on the bones of the left ankle due to obesity and age.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a new opinion regarding whether the Veteran's numbness of the toes is related to his in-service cold injury/frostbite or other etiology.

The Board has remanded the case for extraschedular consideration of the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine and for adjudication of his TDIU claim.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis of the knees, but denied service connection for a cardiac disorder. The Veteran's current diagnoses are in equipoise with respect to whether they are aggravated by his service-connected bipolar disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected IVDS and bilateral radiculopathy have been rated based on their current manifestations, with the right lower extremity receiving a higher rating than the left.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his left shoulder disability. The reduction in rating for residuals of fracture of the left scapula is also being remanded.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including a tear of the lateral meniscus and degenerative arthritis, is currently rated at 10 percent. Separate ratings for instability and limitation of motion are also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected back and neck disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a higher initial evaluation for either disability during the appeal period.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and TDIU, finding that the Veteran's current back disabilities were not related to his active duty service or service-connected bilateral ankle disabilities.