Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2020

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis on a secondary basis due to his right leg amputation should be remanded. The VA needs to obtain an opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the Veteran’s osteoarthritis is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his right leg amputation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is at least as likely as not related to service, granting service connection for his condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, right elbow osteoarthritis, tension headaches, and traumatic brain injury are not supported by the evidence. The claims have been remanded to obtain additional medical opinions addressing whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations. The decision on these issues will be reconsidered after further evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the Veteran's right knee disability, specifically related to flare-ups and functional loss.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's sinusitis, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder. The issues of service connection for these conditions are pending.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has remanded this issue for further development.,A separate issue of entitlement to service connection for radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, to include as due to service-connected degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, has also been raised by the record.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her right knee disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show flexion limited to 60 degrees or extension limited to 5 degrees, which would warrant a separate noncompensable rating under Diagnostic Codes 5260 and 5261. The Veteran's current limitation of flexion is at worst to 90 degrees with pain, but this does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5260. Extension has been consistently full (zero degrees), so she cannot be rated under Diagnostic Code 5261 either.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability and denied an earlier effective date for TDIU. The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability is not related to active service or her service-connected right foot disability, and she was found employable prior to October 19, 2015.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to further development and consideration being required. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the minimum schedular rating requirements for a TDIU, but there is evidence suggesting he may be unemployable.

The Veteran's right knee condition is rated at 20 percent, and his left hip osteoarthritis with limited adduction is also granted. The Board has granted a higher rating for the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded six issues of service connection for various knee and hip conditions, as well as arthritis in the left foot. The reasons include insufficient evidence to determine if the pre-existing lumbar spine disorder was aggravated by service or if the left foot arthritis is related to a vehicle accident during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left leg thrombophlebitis, right shoulder rotator cuff syndrome, and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a right knee disability and has also granted entitlement to service connection for aggravation of a right knee disability due to his service-connected left knee disability. The decision is based on new evidence provided by the Veteran, including VA and private medical opinions that support an etiological nexus between the Veteran's right knee disability and his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 40 percent for the period from July 3, 2013 to July 2, 2020. The left knee osteoarthritis is rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for cervical osteoarthritis with stenosis, radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and headaches.,There was no evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings for the service-connected right and left knee disabilities due to inadequate examinations in previous decisions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's cervical spine, right hip, left hip and left knee disabilities for additional development. The Veteran is also entitled to a rating in excess of 20 percent for his left hip disability (limitation of abduction) from November 26, 2019.

The Veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis are rated at 10 percent each, but a separate 20 percent rating is granted for limited extension of the knees effective November 6, 2018. The Veteran also receives a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left hip trochanteric bursitis and a separate compensable rating for impairment of adduction of the left thigh prior to June 3, 2016.