Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient information and need for further examination.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as she withdrew her claims for various conditions and ratings. The VA granted a temporary 100% rating for right knee total replacement, but denied earlier effective dates.

The Board has determined that the current record lacks sufficient evidence to adjudicate the Veteran's right knee disability claim and an additional medical opinion is necessary.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including degenerative arthritis, is granted as service connected. The evidence shows the Veteran has a current disability (degenerative arthritis) that manifested during his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and neck disability, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine as secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities has been granted. The cases for a higher rating for left knee disability and postoperative residuals, left medial meniscectomy with internal derangement and anterior instability are remanded. The TDIU issue is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his spine disability and for an earlier effective date for TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated information about his employment and education history.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. Specifically, a new VA examination is needed to assess the severity of his lumbar spine disability, determine whether his cervical strain disability was proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hamstring disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disability, left knee disability, and sinus passage injury. The claim for sleep apnea was also remanded.,An earlier effective date of February 3, 2010 for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that the Veteran's current disability is related to his active military service. The claim was reopened due to new and material evidence received since the last final rating decision.

The Veteran's appeal was denied because the substantive appeal was not filed within 60 days of the March 2015 Statement of the Case.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right shoulder disability, hypertrophic degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine (L3-L4), and left thigh condition to obtain additional medical opinions and service treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case to correct a duty to assist error and adjudicate both the earlier effective date claim and the propriety of the July 2018 reduction.

The Veteran's claims for right and left knee degenerative arthritis were granted effective May 10, 2010. This decision is based on the evidence received at that time.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for left shoulder strain, AC osteoarthritis, and status post Bankart repair is denied as the evidence does not show that his symptoms more nearly approximate limitation of motion to 25 degrees from side.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for service-connected left knee strain and osteoarthritis with limitation of flexion is denied as the evidence does not show that his symptoms more nearly approximate limitation of flexion to 15 degrees.

The Board denied service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, as well as a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee DJD. The Veteran's claims were based on direct evidence rather than presumptions or secondary conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for right knee degenerative osteoarthritis, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence in favor of a link between the condition and his military service. The decision also grants service connection for this disability.

The Board has denied service connection for a right hip disability and remanded the cases of right and left knee degenerative arthritis due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and consideration of his claims for a separate compensable rating for left knee instability and TDIU.