Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right lung disability, fatty liver disease, allergic rhinitis, low back strain with osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, and sciatic nerve radiculopathy are denied. The Veteran's claim for Schamberg's disease of the feet is also denied. Service connection for kidney disability (claimed as renal dysfunction) is remanded.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for right knee osteoarthritis and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a nexus between the condition and active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, lower back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence from previous VA examinations. The case will be returned for further review.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for his right obturator nerve condition, reopening of the bilateral inguinal hernia repair claim, and TDIU have been dismissed. The appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for his low back disability is remanded.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis. The Board finds that additional development is needed for the increased rating claims for left and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot cold weather injury residuals are all granted as service connected.,His degenerative arthritis of the spine is also granted as service connected.,Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are both granted as service connected.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee and scar disabilities were remanded due to the possibility of increased severity since their last examination in May 2017. Additional VA examinations are needed to assess current symptomatology and disability levels.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her right foot/ankle disability and scars was denied. She is currently rated at 40 percent for the disability, effective from December 18, 2011.,For the period prior to April 30, 2012, she was not granted an initial compensable rating for her right foot/ankle scars.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that there was no evidence of chronic right shoulder degenerative arthritis in service or within one year after separation. The Board also found that the current diagnosis is not related to an in-service injury and that continuity of symptomatology has not been established.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran's issues on this current appeal, including obtaining addendum opinions and VA examinations for his eye conditions and musculoskeletal conditions (cervical spine and bilateral knee conditions).

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right knee osteoarthritis with painful motion was denied. Effective May 5, 2018, the Veteran received a 10 percent disability rating for right knee instability under Diagnostic Code 5257.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee degenerative arthritis and low back disability render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, as well as right and left arm disabilities, all of which are deemed to be directly related to in-service motor vehicle accidents.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right foot disability, including degenerative arthritis. The evidence did not show that the condition was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU. The Board has remanded these matters for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, finding no direct or secondary link to his military service. The decision also noted that there was not enough evidence to presume the condition was incurred during service.

The claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disability, including osteoarthritis, status post bilateral total hip replacements, is dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of head injury, an acquired psychiatric disorder to include depressive disorder unspecified, polysubstance dependence in partial remission and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, and degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine due to lack of evidence supporting the presence or continuity of current disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the right knee degenerative arthritis status post total knee arthroplasty and TDIU claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a VA examination.