Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the right hip is granted. The Board also grants service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right hip due to trauma, but remands for further examination regarding a secondary service-connected disability and temporary total rating.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, and bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran's left ankle disability was not addressed as it is a separate issue.,The Board found no current disability of the back, knees, or left ankle that could be linked to active duty service.

The Veteran's somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain, associated with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, is rated at 30 percent and denied for an increased rating.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions and a TDIU have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error and because of an inadequate consideration of his medical history in the July 2018 VA examination. The case is now back before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 20 percent rating for his back disability is denied as a matter of law. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that the VA Regional Office (RO) failed to substantially comply with its December 2018 remand directives, and thus another remand is required due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran's lower back condition and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are both being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's disability ratings for his service-connected lumbar spine, right knee osteoarthritis, right knee instability, and left knee osteoarthritis are being remanded for additional development. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating due to a lack of recent VA treatment records, need for new examinations, and consideration of updated eye rating criteria. The claims will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) on both a schedular and an extraschedular basis from throughout the period of appeal.

The Board denied increased ratings for DDD of the thoracolumbar spine, right knee osteoarthritis, and left knee osteoarthritis. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities were rated at 90 percent combined prior to December 5, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations, particularly for the cervical spine disability. The lumbar spine disability has already been granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his left ankle osteoarthritis was denied, as the current 10% rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition based on limited motion.

The Board has denied increased ratings for bilateral pes planus and mechanical low back pain with osteoarthritis, lumbar spine. The appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection claims including hypertension, constipation, cognitive disorder (dementia), impaired glucose tolerance, and the cause of death.

The Veteran's appeals for various service-connected conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination for PTSD. The TDIU appeal is also being remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current left knee disabilities and his military service. The Board also found no secondary service connection based on his right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions and exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claim for basal cell carcinoma on the right shoulder is denied as there is no evidence linking it to his active duty.,The Veteran meets the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective April 28, 2015 due to multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale provided by the VA examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected left hand crush injury and his current wrist conditions, including degenerative arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, status-post left wrist fusion, degenerative joint disease of the hand, and calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence, specifically regarding the Veteran's left knee patellar femoral pain syndrome. The RO is instructed to obtain VA treatment records and provide a new VA opinion.