Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has granted increased ratings of 10 percent each for degenerative arthritis and chondromalacia in both knees, effective from the date of the initial decision.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining unit records and credentials of the March 2003 examiner.

The veteran's claim for increased evaluations for his service-connected left knee, left ankle, and right hip disabilities has been denied. The highest schedular disability evaluation of 60 percent is currently in effect for the left leg conditions.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and degenerative arthritis were denied. The Board found no evidence linking current disabilities to service, and the RO's decisions denying these claims are final.

The Board denied service connection for right knee osteoarthritis and a neck condition, finding no evidence of such conditions during or related to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected left knee disorder, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a right knee disorder, including osteoarthritis, finding that there is no evidence showing the condition was incurred in or aggravated by service and that it did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation from service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection and a higher initial evaluation for his right knee disability, finding that the most recent claim to reopen was received on February 8, 2001.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the veteran's right shoulder disability, which may or may not be related to service.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral knee disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, was not incurred in or aggravated by service and could not be presumed to have been incurred or aggravated due to a service-connected low back disability. The VA found no evidence linking the current condition to military service.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's postoperative residuals of a right knee injury, currently rated at 30 percent.

The veteran's claim for financial assistance for the purchase of an automobile and adaptive equipment was denied as he does not meet the threshold requirement for such benefits due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis and granted an increased rating for lumbar syndrome. The veteran's claim of service connection for osteoarthritis is denied.

The Board has granted a rating of 40 percent for the veteran's low back syndrome with left sacroiliac joint pain and degenerative disc disease, effective from the date of the decision. The ratings for right lower extremity radiculopathy (10%), left lower extremity radiculopathy (10%), and osteoarthritis of the right knee remain unchanged at 10 percent each.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic sprain, right ankle with degenerative arthritis warrants a 30 percent rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back and right knee disorders, finding that current conditions are not related to any injury or disease in service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease with degenerative osteoarthritis at L4-5 (claimed as lumbar strain) was denied because there is no medical evidence of a link between his current disability and military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. His right shoulder disability, which includes post-operative residuals and recurrent dislocation, remains denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his lumbar spine osteoarthritis with a bulging disc. The case will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.