Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to an in-service injury or event.

The Board denied an increased rating for osteoarthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, finding that there was no evidence of ankylosis or intervertebral disc syndrome to warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for secondary service connection for his bilateral hip disorder, finding that there was no relationship between his service-connected left knee disorder and his bilateral hip disorder.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the hips, back, knees, and fingers due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions are related to his military service.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his left shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need for a more recent VA examination.

The veteran's application for Service Disabled Veterans' Insurance (RH) was denied because he did not meet the standard of 'good health,' as his nonservice-connected disabilities, including arthritis and obesity, exceeded the allowed threshold.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and left elbow disabilities, finding no evidence of a direct relationship to military service.

The Board found that the veteran's low back disability, including degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The preponderance of medical evidence is against a finding that his current low back disability is related to his service-connected lymphadenitis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his osteoarthritis of the right and left knees, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent for the right knee.

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 20 percent for the postoperative residuals of the anterior cruciate ligament repair of the left knee, finding that the veteran's impairment was no more than moderate.

The veteran's service-connected right elbow disability is rated at 50 percent, the highest available under the rating schedule.

The veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing. The specific issues include reopening service connection claims and determining eligibility for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's claim for a total schedular disability rating for traumatic osteoarthritis of the lumbosacral spine is granted, effective June 26, 1998. The claim of entitlement to a TDIU is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100 percent rating.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions, including pneumonia (pleurisy), asthma, osteoarthritis of multiple joints, and heart disorder (hypertensive vascular disease) are presumed to have originated during his service due to exposure to tuberculosis. The veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to establish direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination for PTSD, left knee degenerative arthritis, foot fungus, and back injury.

The Board denied service connection for sterility and osteoarthritis of the hips, finding no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's claimed bilateral knee disorder, an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), degenerative arthritis of the low back, and peptic ulcer disease. The right hand disorder is not currently addressed as it was withdrawn from consideration.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a right shoulder injury or disability during service, and the current diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the right shoulder first appeared decades after discharge. The claim for service connection was denied.