Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2002

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder, finding that his current symptoms are due to a pre-existing condition and not related to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board granted a temporary total rating for convalescence following July 1989 surgery and an increased evaluation for the right ankle disability.

The Board granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the veteran's status postoperative right knee injury and a separate 10 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the right knee, both effective from May 6, 1996.

The Board found that the veteran's postoperative residuals of a right knee injury with osteochondritis and degenerative arthritis warrant a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Codes 5010-5258, effective from November 1998. Additionally, a separate 10 percent rating is warranted for painful and limited motion of the knee.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the postoperative residuals of a left wrist fracture, effective from when the disability was initially rated in March 1971.

The veteran claims service connection for osteoarthritis of the hands with associated Heberden's nodes, which he believes is due to exposure to electromagnetic radiation in service. The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted sufficient to reopen his claim, and thus remanded the case for further development.

The Board found that the veteran's right hip disorder is not attributable to his service-connected right knee impairment with arthritis, and thus denied secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by service-connected conditions, and therefore denied both his claim for service connection for the cause of death and his eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35. The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's heart disease to any incident or condition during active military service.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected polyarthritis of hands, wrists, and knees does not warrant a higher rating than the current 10 percent assigned.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disability, which includes a history of meniscectomy and degenerative arthritis, warrants a rating of 30 percent. This decision grants the higher rating but does not exceed the maximum available benefit.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to an increased rating for degenerative arthritis, left knee and service connection for depression. The veteran's claim for a higher rating was denied as his disability did not meet the criteria for a schedular evaluation in excess of 20 percent. The claim for service connection for depression was also denied due to lack of evidence showing it was incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board found no evidence of a spine disorder during service and concluded that the veteran's current osteoarthritis of the thoracolumbar spine is not related to his military service.

The veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine is not related to his service-connected residuals of gunshot wound, and his claim for an increased rating for back disability was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine does not warrant an increased disability rating beyond the current 20 percent assigned.