Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's right knee instability rating is restored until March 31, 2016. The Veteran's osteoarthritis of the right knee remains rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral knee disabilities and other conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted eligibility for specially adapted housing due to the severity of his service-connected disabilities affecting his lower extremities. However, as he is now eligible for this benefit, the claim for a special home adaptation grant is dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and bilateral wrist disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his service or service-connected pes planus.,The Board reopened the claims of service connection for lumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities due to new evidence provided by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for her right shoulder disability and left rotator cuff tear with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis have been denied. The initial rating for the right shoulder disability remains at 20 percent, while a higher rating is not warranted. For the left shoulder disability after July 7, 2010, the Veteran's current 20 percent rating remains unchanged.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disabilities. The claims for bilateral wrist disability, breathing disability (including allergic rhinitis and sinusitis), vision loss disability, cervical spine disability, dizziness, sleep disability, degenerative arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, lower extremities, elbow disability, scoliosis, and traumatic brain injury are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), service connection for an acquired mental disorder, a rating in excess of 30 percent for Meniere’s disease, and a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C has been reopened, and the claim is granted. The claims for service connection for tinnitus, migraine headaches, adjustment disorder with depressed mood, degenerative arthritis of the right knee, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy are all denied.

The Board has dismissed all the claims for service connection due to the death of the appellant.

Service connection for hearing loss has been reconsidered and reopened.,Service connection for hypertension was denied.,Service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is granted with an effective date of August 20, 2003.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted but the effective date is earlier than November 6, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, TDIU, and service connection were denied. The right knee arthritis claim was granted with a 20% rating prior to November 8, 2016, and a 30% rating since January 1, 2018. A separate 20% rating for instability associated with the right knee disability from September 16, 2014 to November 8, 2016 was also granted. The left knee strain claim remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, including degenerative arthritis of the spine, finding that there is no evidence linking the current condition to service. The Veteran's STRs show some injuries during service but no ongoing issues were noted until years after discharge.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted, including for sleep disorder, chronic fatigue, dermatitis, hernia, low back disability, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left foot disability, and right foot disability. The issues are related to reopening previously denied claims.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination as there is insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran's current right foot and ankle conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a lack of recent VA examination and worsening symptoms over the past year.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, knee, and lumbosacral strain disabilities as secondary to a right ankle disability. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection due to lack of continuity of symptomatology since service.