Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his right hip condition and TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his right shoulder disabilities and whether a right hand disability is secondary to his service-connected right shoulder conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability, including degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, is granted. The Board found that his current condition is related to an in-service fall and supports this finding with medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis and disc disease of the lumbar spine is related to his service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected generalized anxiety disorder, left knee strain, right knee osteoarthritis, and cervical degenerative disc disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability and left knee strain, as well as his claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The issues are being remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for both left hip osteoarthritis and a left hip labral tear, finding that the conditions are attributable to the Veteran's active service.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are due to his active military service.

The Veteran's ratings for left hip bursitis with degenerative arthritis and right hip bursitis with degenerative changes were reduced from 20 percent to 10 percent, effective May 1, 2018. The Board found that the reduction was improper due to a failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations.

The Board has determined that the severance of service connection for left ankle osteoarthritis was improper and restored the service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right hip disability and respiratory condition due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination. The Veteran is currently hospitalized for his chronic bronchitis, but VA treatment records are needed.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, back disability, neck disability, right foot disability, Meniere's disease, and gastrointestinal disability (GERD). The Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of any of these conditions at the time of the decision. The Board found that there was no evidence of continuity of symptomatology or in-service incurrence for diabetes mellitus, back disability, neck disability, right foot disability, Meniere's disease, and gastrointestinal disability (GERD).

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in a prior decision and the need for an updated VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current right wrist disorder is related to his service. The Veteran needs a VA examination to determine if his condition began in service or is otherwise linked to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's surviving spouse's claim for special monthly compensation based on being housebound or needing regular aid and attendance due to her physical limitations, as she was able to drive, shop, and perform daily tasks without assistance.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the Veteran withdrew it prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings and an earlier effective date for service-connected conditions related to his back disability were denied.,Specifically, the Veteran was not granted a rating in excess of 40 percent for his back disability, separate ratings above 10 percent for neurological abnormalities of the right lower extremity, or an effective date prior to September 24, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is secondary to his service-connected right knee impairment. The VA examiner did not address all relevant conditions during service and their relationship to current osteoarthritis.