Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2010

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a new VA examination of his lumbar spine osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine was granted, with a current rating of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding service connection for post-operative residuals of a total left hip replacement with degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, but denied it on the merits. The evidence does not establish that his current left knee disorder is related to his service-connected right knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disorder, diagnosed as degenerative disk disease and osteoarthritis of the lumbosacral spine, is related to his active service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is related to his service-connected status-post crush injury of the left anterior ribs, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for his left knee disability was granted, with the highest possible rating of 10 percent assigned. Separate ratings were also granted for moderate instability and degenerative arthritis.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disorder and varicose veins of the right leg were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions were more likely related to the Veteran's age, work-related injuries, and physically demanding job with USPS.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the bilateral hip is not related to his service-connected herniated nucleus pulposus, L4-L5, status post operative with arthritis and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected osteoarthritis, right knee was granted but assigned a noncompensable evaluation. The claim is now remanded for additional development including another VA examination to assess the current severity of the disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee osteoarthritis and post-operative residuals of a right ankle fracture were denied. The rating for surgical scar post-operative residuals of a right ankle fracture was granted to 10 percent.

The Board has dismissed the issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a liver condition. The remaining claims are remanded for further development, including obtaining VA medical records, verifying Agent Orange exposure, and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability, osteoarthritis, did not begin during service and was not related to his military service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left knee is denied.