Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability benefits records and arranging for an examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on employment.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for pension or special monthly pension benefits due to his unemployability and lack of permanent total disability.

The Veteran's wrist arthritis and peripheral neuropathy disabilities have been rated based on their impact on range of motion, with no higher ratings warranted due to the severity of his symptoms.,The Veteran's wrist disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent for each wrist under Diagnostic Codes 5214 (arthritis) and 8515 (peripheral neuropathy), which reflect mild impairment.

The Veteran does not have a right hip disorder, diagnosed as osteoarthritis with subchondral sclerosis and cyst formation, attributable to service or service connected disability. Arthritis was first demonstrated years post-service.

The Board has remanded the case for readjudication with consideration of staged and extraschedular ratings, as well as obtaining any outstanding records pertinent to the claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar spine (claimed as tailbone disability), and basal cell carcinoma were denied. His claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine is rated at 40 percent since July 28, 2010. This rating reflects his limited forward flexion to 10-15 degrees and pain on motion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU based on his service-connected right knee disabilities. The issues related to an increase in rating were not fully addressed, particularly regarding functional impairment due to flare-ups.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was implicitly denied in the August 1995 and March 2000 rating decisions, as no appeal was filed within one year of these decisions. The effective date cannot be earlier than October 20, 2004.

The Board has determined that the appellant's left shoulder disability is reasonably shown to have resulted from his period of ACDUTRA, and therefore grants service connection for impingement and degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 60 percent since December 12, 2012. His left lower extremity radiculopathy is separately rated as moderate.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and psychiatric disorder were denied.,Service connection was also denied for allergic rhinitis with chronic sinusitis.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the 100 percent schedular evaluation assigned for the service-connected right knee osteoarthritis following right knee replacement effective February 1, 2010 was proper. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis of the left ankle was rated at 10% prior to November 11, 2011. After a VA examination and considering his symptoms including marked limitation of motion, he is now entitled to a 20% rating for this period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing. The Board will schedule such a hearing and notify the Veteran of its date, time, and location.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of osteoarthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar spinal stenosis, and lumbar foraminotomies are related to an injury he sustained during a period of INACDUTRA in March 1990. As such, service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle disability, including osteoarthritis and post-traumatic degenerative joint disease, is not related to service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board found no evidence of a relationship between the Veteran's current right shoulder disorder and his period of active duty service, thus denying service connection.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is at least 70 percent, with one disability rated as 40 percent disabling. The schedular percentage requirements for TDIU are met.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with radiculopathy and cervical spine disorder, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's period of active duty. Service connection for bilateral shoulder disorder is denied as there is no evidence linking the current condition to his military service.