Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right-hand disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct or secondary service connection. The Board also found that the preponderance of the evidence did not show that the Veteran’s current degenerative arthritis was related to his in-service right wrist laceration.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a VA medical opinion clarifying the etiology of the Veteran's claimed lower back disorder and obtaining updated treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of right eye disability was denied. The Veteran's PTSD is granted with a rating of 70 percent, but no more, prior to January 9, 2020. His claim for higher ratings for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and related conditions remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.,Specifically, the knee and ankle claims require compliance with the Court’s holding in Correia, and the bilateral elbow and ulnar nerve neuropathy claims require new medical opinions.

The Veteran's right knee disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis, status post total knee replacement, is granted service connection.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, is granted service connection.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's spinal and nerve conditions due to outstanding VA treatment records and conflicting evidence regarding the nature and severity of his right lower extremity neuropathies.

The Veteran's bilateral hip degenerative arthritis is granted service connection as a subsequent manifestation of his already service-connected sacroiliac joint arthritis. Service connection for hypertension and kidney disorder are denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to outstanding VA treatment records and physical therapy records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a low back disability due to incomplete development.,No current diagnosis of a left wrist condition was found during the examination.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and awarded a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left shoulder osteoarthritis with calcified peri-tendinosis. The issues of increased ratings have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds the evidence does not establish unemployability.

The Veteran's back disability is characterized by forward flexion limited to 25 degrees, falls, and frequent flare-ups of pain that require prolonged bedrest. The Board has granted a rating of 50 percent for degenerative disc disease on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than September 13, 2012 for the grant of a TDIU rating and DEA benefits under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 was denied as there is no evidence showing he was precluded from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities prior to that date.,The Veteran's combined disability ratings did not meet the threshold criteria for consideration of a schedular TDIU rating prior to September 13, 2012. However, VA policy allows for an extraschedular TDIU rating if the evidence shows he was unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has found that the remand was not fully complied with and requires another examination to address the Veteran's lumbar spine osteoarthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's flare-ups and functional loss during those periods.

The Veteran's initial rating for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is denied as his diabetes does not require insulin or regulation of activities. The service connection claim for a lumbar spine disability, including DDD and osteoarthritis, is also denied due to lack of evidence showing onset during service or a nexus to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss as a residual of and secondary to vertigo was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not demonstrate hearing loss on testing, thus no service connection is warranted. Other claims were remanded due to lack of VA examination records.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the Veteran's service-connected low back disability and PTSD with depression. The issues of increased ratings for these conditions and entitlement to a TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder and denied entitlement to TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected left leg and knee disabilities. The Board found that there was no link between the Veteran’s current low back disorder and his active service or any service-connected disability, including his left leg and knee disabilities.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's right shoulder disability, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating based on limitation of motion or frequent dislocations.