Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability due to the Veteran's competent lay reports of symptoms since discharge, and the lack of corroborating medical evidence did not preclude granting presumptive service connection under the PACT Act.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and incomplete records. The Veteran's right knee and left hand disabilities are being reviewed again to determine if they are related to service.

Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee is granted.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for left eye iritis was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder did not manifest in service or within one year of separation, and is not related to his active duty. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for residuals of a right acromioclavicular joint separation was denied.,The reduction from 20 to 10 percent rating for residuals of a left ankle osteochondral fracture was found improper, and the 20 percent rating is restored as of April 1, 2015. The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a left ankle osteochondral fracture remains denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for left knee osteoarthritis was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and degenerative arthritis of the left hip, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to June 28, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has dismissed all the claims as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-existing condition, and that the current disorder did not manifest within one year of separation from service. The Board also found insufficient medical evidence to link the current left ankle degenerative arthritis to service.

The Veteran's lower back disability is rated at 40 percent effective April 13, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his left shoulder osteoarthritis and rotator cuff tendonitis, following total joint replacement surgery, was denied as the highest allowed rating under applicable criteria is 50 percent.

The Board has restored the original ratings for right knee osteoarthritis and instability, finding that there was no evidence of improvement to warrant a reduction.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examinations and a need for additional evidence, specifically a new VA examination of the Veteran's right knee.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to new evidence received after the August 2019 Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board found that the current staged ratings for lumbar strain and sprain are not warranted, as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to March 27, 2019, or since then.

The Board has granted service connection for left elbow epicondylitis, cervical degenerative joint disease, lumbar degenerative disc disease, right ankle degenerative arthritis, and right knee chondromalacia as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected fibromyalgia.,Giving the Veteran the benefit of the doubt, the Board found that his service-connected fibromyalgia aggravated each of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for right hand dermatitis, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis. Service connection was denied for right ear cholesteatoma.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right foot disability, including degenerative arthritis and mild/moderate degenerative change of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, began during service and has persisted since then. The decision grants service connection for this condition.