Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and an additional VA examination is required.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 20 percent, with a separate 10 percent evaluation for limitation of extension. The claim for an increased rating was denied, but the separate extension evaluation was granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, including total left knee replacement due to degenerative arthritis and right knee degenerative arthritis. The decision is based on direct service connection as there is a positive nexus between the Veteran's in-service experiences and his current disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for total right and left knee replacements, finding that the osteoarthritis leading to these surgeries is at least as likely as not due to or a progression of his service-connected internal derangement of the knees. The temporary total ratings for both knees are also granted.

The Veteran's claims for neck, low back, and right knee disabilities have been reopened. The low back disability claim is remanded due to new evidence received since the April 2014 rating decision. The right knee and right hip disability claims are also remanded as they may be related to service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for right knee osteoarthritis and remanded the claim of an initial rating higher than 70 percent for TBI with bipolar disorder, manic episode with mixed features. The Veteran's petition to reopen his right knee osteoarthritis claim was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's right knee and hip osteoarthritis are granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee replacement, with a non-compensable rating.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for left and right shoulder degenerative arthritis have been denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed because the claimant died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's right hip condition is rated at 10 percent, and his left hip condition prior to January 15, 2018, was also rated at 10 percent.,Both hips are currently rated at 30 percent for total arthroplasty.

The Veteran's right knee disability with knee joint osteoarthritis is rated at 10 percent, and the Board found no evidence to warrant a higher rating.,The Veteran's TBI residuals are currently rated at 10 percent. The Board determined that there was not enough evidence to support a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee and low back osteoarthritis. The TDIU issue is remanded due to the AOJ's failure to obtain employment information from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and a retrospective medical opinion to assess the severity of his lower back disability prior to August 3, 2017. The issues of PTSD, GERD with hiatal hernia and IBS, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis are also remanded for updated examinations.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of May 27, 2012 for service connection and a disability rating of 10 percent from May 27, 2012 to May 13, 2014 for left hip disability. A total disability rating was granted from May 14, 2014 through June 30, 2015.

The Board has denied service connection for various bilateral and unilateral joint disabilities, including wrist, hip, knee, shoulder, and ankle conditions. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right total knee replacement, left knee disorder, and temporary total evaluation based on convalescence following an April 4, 2017, right knee surgery. The issues of entitlement to initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for right knee strain and chronic nonsuppurative otitis media with right ear hearing loss are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient discussion of applicable diagnostic codes and failure to consider whether staged ratings are appropriate for the period prior to January 1, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine were denied as his disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under VA's rating schedule.

The Veteran's right knee disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current condition related to service, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that his current conditions are due to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, finding that there was no credible evidence of an in-service injury or disease and concluding that any current lumbar spine disability did not have its onset during active service.