Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's lumbar spine osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease are causally related to his active military service, leading to a grant of service connection.

The Board granted service connection for left knee instability and assigned a 10 percent evaluation, effective from the date of the claim. The appellant's low back disorder issue is addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis are not service-connected as there is no medical evidence showing a link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected disabilities, effective June 30, 2005. The effective dates sought by the veteran were not granted as they are deemed factually ascertainable.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and arranging for VA examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left knee injury, finding no evidence of chronic disability during or within one year after service and no medical nexus to service.

The VA is remanding the case to conduct further examination and development due to insufficient evidence to decide the claim.

The VA determined that the veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis does not warrant a rating higher than 40 percent, as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for more severe disability ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, a cervical spine disability, and residuals of a head injury. The initial compensable rating claim for bilateral hearing loss was also denied. The claim for an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the upper lumbar spine was not addressed as it is no longer on appeal.

The veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the feet were denied. The claims for hypertension and pes planus are pending as they have been reopened.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected right knee injury with degenerative arthritis, as his disability does not meet or approximate criteria warranting a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right knee and laxity or instability of the right knee, secondary to degenerative arthritis, warrant a 10 percent rating each. The evidence does not support higher ratings.

The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 1, 1997 for reinstatement of a 10 percent disability evaluation for service-connected osteomalacia of the right knee with Osgood-Schlatter and degenerative osteoarthritis was denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule a VA examination for her service-connected lumbar and cervical spine disorders. The case will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine and assigned a 20 percent rating, effective from the date of receipt of the veteran's initial claim for benefits.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination to determine if he suffers from a 'loss of use' of one or both lower extremities, which could affect his eligibility for specially adapted housing and adaptive equipment benefits. The RO/AMC will then readjudicate the claims based on this new information.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, lumbosacral spine degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease at L5-S1, and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The veteran's headaches are found to have had its onset during active service.

The Board finds that the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU benefits cannot be granted as his informal claim was considered abandoned due to failure to provide requested evidence within one year of request. The benefit-of-the-doubt rule is not applicable.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for emergency treatment at Massena Memorial Hospital on December 23, 2005 are denied as he is covered by Medicare and thus ineligible for VA reimbursement.

The veteran's lumbar spine disability, characterized by spondylolisthesis and degenerative arthritis, warrants a rating of 40 percent based on its orthopedic manifestations. Additionally, separate ratings of 10 percent are assigned for the neurologic manifestations affecting the right and left lower extremities.