Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including total abdominal hysterectomy, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and degenerative arthritis of both hands, have rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU.

The VA has increased the initial rating for the veteran's service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability from 20% to 40%, effective January 22, 2003.

The veteran's claim for a rating increase and service connection for a left hand disorder were both denied. The Board found that the veteran does not have residuals of a left hand disorder related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as his bilateral hearing loss. The criteria for a higher rating were not met based on the current evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee arthritis and service connection for a right knee disability.

The veteran is seeking service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbosacral spine, which he contends was incurred or aggravated by service. The Board has ordered additional development due to outstanding SSA records.

The RO granted a 60 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of left knee injury with degenerative arthritis, effective October 15, 2003. The decision also addressed secondary service connection claims for right hip avascular necrosis and degenerative changes, left hip degenerative changes, and postoperative degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board has determined that the veteran's arthralgia of multiple joints warrants a 30% disability rating, effective from the date of the decision. The service connection for bilateral osteoarthritis of the hip remains denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's gout of the knees, degenerative tearing of the medial meniscus and degenerative arthritis of the knees are not related to his service-connected residuals of shell fragment wounds of the knees. Therefore, these claims for secondary service connection have been denied.

The Board has determined that a rating of 10 percent for residuals, fracture of the middle finger phalanx, middle finger of the left hand with osteoarthritis, and, osteoarthritis, index finger, left hand is granted.

The veteran's cervical strain, mild central spinal stenosis with small central protrusion at C3-4 and disc bulge at C4-5 and C5-6 is currently rated as 30 percent disabling. The veteran's GERD and IBS are each rated as 10 percent disabling. His degenerative arthritis of the thoracic spine does not warrant a higher rating, and his bilateral hearing loss is not compensable.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection have not been reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied increased disability evaluations for posttraumatic osteoarthritis of the left shoulder, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The veteran's claim for a higher evaluation of his left shoulder disability was granted, and the effective date is set from April 2001 to June 12, 2003.

The veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the cervical and thoracic spine was granted an initial rating of 20 percent from August 9, 1996, to August 25, 2003. From that time forward, he is rated at 20 percent for his cervical spine disability and 10 percent for his thoracic spine disability.

The veteran's pre-existing bilateral foot disorder was aggravated by service, and his current chronic disabilities involving both knees, hips, and ankles are considered to be a result of this aggravation.

The Board granted a 60 percent disability rating for the veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability effective from October 15, 1997. The attorney is not entitled to payment of past-due benefits as the effective date of the increased rating only went back to October 15, 1997.

The Board denied service connection for chronic low back and left hip disorders, finding that current diagnoses are not related to the veteran's active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The claims of service connection and increased rating for left knee disability, as well as a compensable rating for Dupuytren's cyst, are pending.