Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right wrist disability, pes planus, and an initial rating higher than 20 percent for left knee disorder. The claim for a separate 10 percent rating for instability of the left knee was granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment prior to July 7, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and right scoliosis of lumbar spine with degenerative arthritis.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for a new VA examination due to inadequate information regarding flare-ups and functional impairment during such flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral ankle, knee, and hip disabilities due to inadequate opinions in the September 2017 VA examination. The examiner failed to address whether the Veteran’s claimed disabilities are related to his conceded in-service fall from a helicopter while serving as a dog handler.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to increased ratings on an extraschedular basis for various back and knee conditions as the appellant withdrew his appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received after the last SSOC, and a new supplemental statement of the case must be issued.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee limitation of motion, lumbar spine disability, and right hip degenerative arthritis due to inadequate examination reports. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's heart conditions, as well as to address whether any of his service-connected disabilities or medications caused or aggravated these conditions. The claims for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, chronic kidney disease and chronic renal cysts, left wrist condition, and left hip arthritis remain denied.

Service connection for a cervical spine disability and neurological disability of the upper extremities is denied. The case is remanded to determine if service connection can be established for lower extremity radiculopathy.,The claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine since June 20, 2013 is also remanded.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection of spine disorder, left knee disorder, and left foot disorder due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for right hip and foot disabilities.,Specifically, the Board finds that additional evidence or clarification may be needed to properly adjudicate these issues.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at the maximum schedular evaluation of 50 percent, and extraschedular consideration is not warranted.,The Veteran’s degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating than the current 40 percent evaluation.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the lower right extremity warrants a 20 percent rating, and his radiculopathy of the lower left extremity is rated at 20 percent.,The Veteran’s residuals of a right foot fracture are rated at the maximum schedular evaluation of 10 percent, and his residuals of a left foot fracture are also rated at 10 percent.,The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at the maximum schedular evaluation of 10 percent.,All remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection of osteoarthritis of the right knee is granted. The Board has decided that a remand is necessary due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's right-knee condition was caused or aggravated by his left-knee condition.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including post-traumatic arthritis and degenerative arthritis, is rated at 10 percent for painful flexion of the left knee. A separate 10 percent rating has been granted for instability.,For the period prior to December 18, 2019, the Veteran’s limitation of extension was not more than 5 degrees and a compensable rating is denied. From December 18, 2019, his limitation of extension was not more than 10 degrees and a higher rating is also denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating of his service-connected arthralgia involving the left thumb, index, and long fingers was denied. The Board found that the current 10 percent evaluation adequately reflects the Veteran's disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment since November 26, 2019. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the severity of his right ankle disability and his ability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to November 26, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for osteoarthritis due to insufficient medical opinions and missing service treatment records. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again with a new medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to November 1, 2016. The Board denied entitlement to an extraschedular TDIU rating.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that it is at least as likely as not incurred during active duty due to a fall on a shipboard ladder in 1968.