Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the left and right knees, finding that these conditions are the result of active duty service. The claims for residuals of a right ankle stress fracture and residuals of a right hand injury were denied as there is no evidence of such disabilities in service or within one year post-service.

The Board granted an increased rating of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected right knee disability, effective June 5, 2007. The current condition involves some evidence of meniscus pathology, pain on motion with flexion limited to 80 degrees and no limitation of extension.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability, finding that the evidence did not show a marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization due to his condition. The current evaluation of 40% is maintained.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, lower extremity disability, and pension benefits due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The veteran was found not permanently and totally disabled from non-service connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy, hypertension, and degenerative osteoarthritis due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's lumbar osteoarthritis was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred due to his military service. The Board also determined that the veteran's current low back disability is not related to his service-connected residuals of a medial meniscectomy of the left knee.

The veteran's skin cancer claim is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or herbicide exposure. The low back disability claim results in a denial due to the lack of medical evidence showing that the condition was incurred during service or due to herbicide exposure. The postoperative inguinal hernia claim also results in a denial.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for higher initial evaluations for his left hip disability is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent from September 13, 2001 to February 9, 2004 and 30 percent from April 1, 2005.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the increased evaluations of degenerative disc, lumbosacral spine with scoliotic deformity and spondylolisthesis L5 on S1, right sciatica, and osteoarthritis of the cervical spine.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including bilateral knee disability (claimed as osteoarthritis of the knees), bilateral hand disability (claimed as carpal tunnel syndrome), and cervical spine disability (claimed as C3-C6 spondylosis), were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the right ankle and hepatitis C, with a rating of 10 percent effective as of the date of the decision.

The veteran's appeal involves his cervical spine disability, including a claim for an earlier effective date and TDIU. The Board has determined that additional development is needed due to the complexity of the issues.

The Board found that the residuals of a fracture of the left malleolus with osteoarthritis do not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5271.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis, vascular hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as there was no evidence of a current disability related to active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and osteoarthritis of the right knee. The veteran did not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, and his right knee disability was first demonstrated many years after service and is not shown to be related to service.

The Board denied increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees, currently evaluated at 10 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and right elbow due to a need for further examination, as well as additional development of the record.

The veteran's disabilities, while disabling, do not meet the criteria for a total rating due to their combined effect. The Board finds that she is not unemployable by reason of her disabilities.

The veteran's initial evaluations for his toe and cervical spine disabilities have been granted, but the Board has determined that he is not entitled to higher ratings based on the severity of his conditions.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of aid and attendance benefits, finding that entitlement to such benefits was first demonstrated on August 11, 2005.