Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee osteoarthritis is caused by her service-connected right knee disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his increased rating for right lumbar muscle strain is not supported by the evidence, which shows that his range of motion and symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee meniscal tear with degenerative arthritis, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease in service or within a presumptive period. The Board also found that there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the current condition and service.

The Veteran’s appeal is remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation of his service-connected conditions, as well as additional evidence regarding his claims. The appeals are not related to a presumption or exposure basis.

Service connection for acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis of the left shoulder is granted.,Service connection for a right foot condition, claimed as right foot pain, is remanded due to insufficient evidence in this decision.,Service connection for migraines is granted.

The Board denied payment or reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Lee Memorial Health System on June 24, 2016 due to lack of pre-authorization and failure to meet the criteria for emergency treatment under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right knee osteoarthritis prior to March 9, 2016, and from May 1, 2017, have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder injury and bilateral pes planus, but denied service connection for low back and upper neck injuries.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's right shoulder injury as it is at least as likely as not related to an in-service motor vehicle accident. Service connection is also granted for her bilateral pes planus.

The Board denied increased ratings for various conditions, including thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis, right and left knee strains, status/post septoplasty with deviated septum, prostate disorder, erectile dysfunction (ED), and gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. The effective dates for the grants of service connection were also denied.

The Board has decided that the C&P Exam is inadequate and requires an addendum opinion to determine if the Veteran's bilateral knee degenerative arthritis is related to his service.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased ratings for right clavicle/scapula impairment, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis with meniscus tear. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was granted an initial 20 percent rating prior to August 23, 2017. The case is remanded for further examination and consideration of the Veteran's cervical spine strain.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and degenerative arthritis of the knees have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss, as his hearing acuity was no worse than Level VII in the right ear and Level I in the left ear. For his knee disabilities, the Board determined that the flexion limitation did not warrant a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to April 22, 2014 is being remanded due to its inextricability with his previously remanded increased rating claim for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis. The issues will be reconsidered together.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and outstanding VA treatment records. The Veteran's right foot conditions, including degenerative osteoarthritis, first metatarsal head, and plantar fasciitis, are being reviewed for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since September 2013, and he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his PTSD. Effective September 13, 2013, the Veteran also had other service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more, qualifying him for SMC at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate examinations. The VA will schedule the Veteran for a new examination to assess his left knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees, as well as an initial compensable disability rating for a left tibial condition.

The Board has remanded the claims due to new evidence being added to the record after the SOC was issued. The Veteran and his representative did not waive AOJ review of this additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and physical examinations.