Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his hearing loss, tinnitus, and back disorder.

The veteran seeks an extension of his eligibility period for Chapter 30 educational assistance benefits due to physical and mental disabilities preventing him from pursuing education during February 1992 to October 31, 2001. The Board has ordered additional development including obtaining medical opinions on the feasibility of pursuing education during that time.

The Board finds that service connection for bilateral hearing loss is warranted. Service connection for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis of the cervical spine is denied as there is no evidence showing a current disability or association with service.

The VA determined that the veteran's lower back disability, characterized by degenerative disc disease and arthritis, does not meet the criteria for a higher initial disability rating than 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for low back strain with degenerative arthritis. The evidence did not support a finding that the veteran's current conditions were caused or aggravated by his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his low back disability and bilateral hearing loss, as well as service connection for sleep apnea and GERD. The veteran was not granted any new evaluations or connections.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for various joint disorders, including degenerative joint disease-osteoarthritis, right rotator cuff, left rotator cuff, and left hip replacement.

The Board has granted initial disability ratings of 30 percent for recurrent dislocation of the right shoulder and 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, effective September 9, 1996.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions diagnosed in service or within one year after discharge, and there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for asbestos-related lung disease also fails as there is no competent medical evidence of a current disability related to asbestos exposure.

The veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the right ankle is being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis were not incurred or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed to have occurred therein. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability, which is secondary to his service-connected left knee instability with degenerative arthritis and scars, has been remanded due to the need for additional medical records.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, osteoarthritis of the left ankle, heart disorder, cellulitis of the left foot, and anxiety reaction due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, osteoarthritis, and bilateral hip disorder due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were related to service.

The veteran's service-connected right knee injuries and osteoarthritis have not been shown to warrant a rating higher than the current 20 percent for either condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hearing loss, heart disorder (including hypertension and coronary insufficiency), stomach disorder (including peptic ulcer disease and gastritis), and arthritis are all related to his military service.

The Board has ordered a new examination to determine the current nature and severity of the veteran's service-connected bilateral foot condition, including whether he was properly diagnosed with osteoarthritis during service. The appeal is remanded for further development.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for prostatitis and granted it. The Board also found that the veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine is related to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic right knee disability, including osteoarthritis and internal derangement, as being proximately due to the veteran's service-connected right ankle sprain residuals. The claim for a chronic right hip disability was denied because there is no medical evidence associating any right hip symptoms with the service-connected right ankle disability.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and knee disabilities were denied. The Board found no evidence of hypertension during service or within a year after discharge, and the VA examiner did not find any link between the veteran's current hypertension and his service-connected knee disability. For the knees, the VA examiner noted mild degenerative changes without finding a direct relationship to service.