Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claims. The Veteran's original claim was denied in 1991 due to lack of a nexus between his current conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective date, rating in excess of 20 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss has not been established due to lack of audiometric testing meeting VA criteria for impaired hearing.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of both hips, total left hip replacement, and right hip arthritis prior to a total right hip replacement was granted. The rating for the right hip after the total right hip replacement remains at 30 percent.

The Veteran's neck condition and sinusitis are granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are currently rated at 20% and 40%, respectively. The Board finds that the current ratings adequately reflect his symptoms as described in the rating criteria.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for hidradenitis suppurativa of the right axilla with scars is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a clarification on whether the functional impairment is caused by hidradenitis suppurativa or osteoarthritis, and consideration of extraschedular criteria.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is not rated higher than 30 percent.,Prior to March 16, 2018, the Veteran’s degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder was rated at 10 percent; since then, it has been rated at 20 percent. The left shoulder condition remains at 10 percent prior to March 16, 2018 and at 20 percent thereafter.,The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was initially rated as noncompensable but is now rated at 20 percent; his cervical spine condition has been rated at 10 percent since March 16, 2018.,Left knee patellofemoral syndrome and right hip strain with osteoarthritis have both been rated at 10 percent. The left hip strain conditions are each rated at 10 percent prior to March 16, 2018 and at 20 percent thereafter for limited flexion.,The Veteran's right hip strain with osteoarthritis has a separate noncompensable evaluation for limitation of flexion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, TBI, intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and sciatica, left lower extremity. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether his current condition is related to military service. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine is rated at 40 percent, but no higher. The effective date for service connection of right knee osteoarthritis is denied. Right knee and ankle disabilities are remanded for further examination.

Service connection for a neck/cervical spine disorder, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine with degenerative disc disease and disc extrusions, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee retropatellar pain syndrome, and left varicocele is denied.,Effective dates for these grants are not being granted prior to March 25, 2013.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, deltoid ligament osteoarthritis of the right ankle, pulmonary hypertension, and erectile dysfunction were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for deltoid ligament osteoarthritis of the right ankle was denied as there is no limitation of motion that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine was denied due to lack of evidence linking his current condition to service.,PTSD ratings were increased from 30% prior to May 3, 2017, and from 50% after that date.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations are incomplete and requires further medical guidance due to a recent court decision. Additionally, there is evidence of worsening since the last examination. Therefore, the claims are being remanded for additional evaluations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a new VA examination to determine if his right knee disabilities are related to service or caused by his service-connected shrapnel wound scar of the right knee.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, knee disability, and degenerative arthritis of the right great toe (claimed as right foot big toe) due to lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or disease.,New evidence received since previous decisions did not change the outcome.

Effective date prior to June 26, 2017 for service connection of lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, surgical scars, and panic disorder and agoraphobia are denied as a matter of law.

The petition to reopen the appeal for entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The petition to reopen the appeal for entitlement to service connection for right knee pain is reopened and the claim for service connection for right knee pain is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for an opinion addressing whether the Veteran's neck disorder is related to service or his service-connected bilateral ankle disability, specifically considering if it was caused or aggravated by the ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for left knee instability and left hip osteoarthritis, as well as his claim for service connection for lumbar spine disability due to outstanding medical records and inadequate examination reports.