Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2020

The claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The right and left knee disorders are remanded, as is the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and evaluations. The cases are pending further development.,Specifically, the Veteran's claim for a back disorder is being reviewed due to new evidence received.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease and no current symptoms related to the condition. The Veteran's lay assertions were not credible given the lack of contemporaneous medical records.,There is no current diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in the record, and the Board denied service connection for CFS based on a lack of evidence.

The Board has remanded the cases for a new examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities, including during flare-ups or with repeated use over a period of time.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee conditions were denied. The Veteran was rated at 10% from August 20, 2008 through January 8, 2020 and at 20% since January 9, 2020 for the left knee with mild osteoarthritis status post arthroscopic medial meniscectomy. The Veteran was also rated at 10% since October 25, 2016 for left knee instability.

The Veteran's knee disabilities are being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder, bilateral hand, and bilateral knee osteoarthritis. The decision is based on the Veteran's reported in-service injuries and strain.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on regular need for aid and attendance is remanded due to the lack of adequate contemporaneous medical examinations. The Board finds that new VA examinations are needed to assess the current state of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to perform activities of daily living.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to delays in scheduling VA examinations, and requests additional development of his medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee osteoarthritis (OA), finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's diagnosed conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded three claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete service records.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his cervical spine and shoulder acromioclavicular joint disabilities is denied. The rating for the cervical spine disability remains at 30 percent, effective January 24, 2018.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a lack of a contemporaneous VA examination for the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and because the issues are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and initial ratings for hearing loss in both ears, as well as knee osteoarthritis, has been remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and cervical spine disability have been remanded for further development.,Specifically, the issues of increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and cervical spine disability are being addressed.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including additional VA examinations and studies to determine the current nature of the Veteran's conditions and their relationship to service. The issues include increased ratings for lumbar spine and cervical spine disorders, a rating increase for PTSD, a separate compensable rating for esophageal stricture, and service connection for erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's right shoulder condition, which includes degenerative arthritis and rotator cuff syndrome, is rated at 40 percent due to recurrent pain and range of motion limitation that requires rest and medication.

The Veteran's flatfoot (pes planus) and migraine, including migraine variants (claimed as tension headaches), are found to be related to his service. The remaining claims for service connection have been remanded.,Service connection is granted for flatfoot (pes planus) and migraine, including migraine variants (claimed as tension headaches).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded for further evaluation and rating consideration.