Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2003

The Board denied the veteran's claims for initial evaluations in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of his right knee with a loose body and left knee. The RO assigned a 10 percent evaluation to each knee, effective October 1993.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a crush injury to the right foot and ankle with degenerative arthritis, finding that these conditions more nearly approximate the criteria for a 30 percent rating than they do for a 20 percent rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a back injury, finding that there was no evidence linking his current disabilities to service or any presumptive conditions.

The VA has granted a higher disability rating of 40 percent for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a right wrist fracture with osteoarthritis, effective from the date of this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, residuals of a left wrist injury, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Service connection was denied for degenerative arthritis of the left hip, groin pull (claimed as groin disorder), arthritis (excluding left wrist and right foot), and skin rash classified as chronic, recurrent dermatitis mostly affecting the groin and lower abdomen.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for vasomotor rhinitis, finding that the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. The veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is rated under Diagnostic Codes 6522 and 6523.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected low back strain with degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis, currently rated at 20 percent.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected lumbar paravertebral fibromyositis, discogenic disease at L4-L5, degenerative osteoarthritis of the spine, and chronic low back pain syndrome was denied as his condition did not warrant a higher evaluation.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted, with a 10% rating assigned for each of the conditions. The left heel inversion was rated at 20%, and the left femur disability remains at 10%. The left tibia condition is still noncompensable.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for back, left shoulder, and right shoulder conditions due to a lack of competent evidence linking these disabilities to his military service.

The veteran's postoperative residuals of a left knee meniscectomy and arthroscopy were rated at 20 percent prior to September 29, 2000. His arthritis was also rated at 10 percent during the same period.

The Board has determined that the veteran's postoperative residuals of a right ACL repair warrant a 20 percent evaluation, effective from August 23, 1994, to March 3, 1999, and from May 1, 1999. Additionally, a separate 10 percent rating is assigned for degenerative arthritis of the right knee since October 22, 1998.

The veteran's degenerative arthritis of the right and left hands is rated at a 10 percent evaluation since the initial grant of service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for arthritis of the right hip and left hip have been granted, with the right hip receiving a 30 percent rating and the left hip receiving a 40 percent rating.

The Board found that the veteran was not exposed to ionizing radiation during service and his degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, with lumbosacral strain, and COPD are not related to service. The claims for service connection were denied.