Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's right knee disorder is considered to have been incurred during service. The Board has also found that the Veteran currently has a left knee disorder and low back disorder related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected gout of the right ankle, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine were denied. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflected the severity of these conditions.

The Board finds that there is a preponderance of evidence against the Veteran's claim for service connection for the residuals of an injury to the lumbosacral spine, including chronic lumbar strain and degenerative arthritis. The medical evidence does not establish a nexus between any current low back disability and any incident of service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lipomas, bilateral hearing loss, and knee disabilities were denied. The Veteran was granted compensable ratings for scars from March 2, 2009 onwards, but not before that date. Ratings in excess of the current ones were denied for right and left knee osteoarthritis as well as laxity.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his bilateral hip, heel, and finger osteoarthritis was denied. The RO found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable or higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of her service-connected disabilities, including examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee degenerative arthritis and gunshot wound scar of the left calf are currently rated at their maximum levels, with no additional compensation available.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right shoulder arthritis was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and is not related to his service-connected left shoulder disability. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing. The issues are about increased evaluation for osteoarthritis of the right knee and service connection for a low back disorder, which may be secondary to the right knee condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities are not related to service. The preponderance of evidence shows these conditions were first manifested many years after service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left knee osteoarthritis, or major depressive disorder that is related to his military service, including being secondary to a service-connected right knee disability. Therefore, these claims are denied.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis was diagnosed many years after service and has not been linked to his military service, including any injury sustained in a motor vehicle accident. Therefore, the claim for service connection for osteoarthritis is denied.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar strain with osteoarthritis and GERD have been granted initial ratings of 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively. The Veteran's PTSD remains at a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected disabilities, and he did not meet the legal requirements for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for mechanical low back pain and cervical osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to May 11, 2005, or 20 percent thereafter. The disability was rated based on its direct effects rather than any service connection theory.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the hands was denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of current diagnosis or chronicity of this condition during service or post-service.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's service or any incident therein, and denied his claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee and a rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the right knee with valgus deformity and tricompartment disease.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disorder and denied it on the merits. The current degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine is not related to service, but left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis is related to a left shoulder injury during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, multilevel degenerative disc and spinal stenosis L1-L5 with degenerative disc disease, and spinal stenosis of the cervical spine at C6-C7 with degenerative arthritis, have resulted in a combined evaluation of 90 percent. The Veteran is in need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.