Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that his current knee disorders are not related to his in-service MCL strain and concluding that they are more likely age-related.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examinations and needs additional information on the Veteran's left ankle disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine and a right shoulder strain with internal derangement were denied as there was no evidence to support higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is currently rated at 30 percent for the period beginning October 3, 2019. The appeal has been denied as there is no evidence of ankylosis or limitation of motion that would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous directives and a need for further examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bone disorders, including shoulder conditions.

The Board denied service connection for generalized arthralgia, including diagnoses of degenerative arthritis of the hands, knees, and back, as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, right elbow disability, and OSA due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral ankle strain and bilateral foot osteoarthritis, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected knee disorders due to cold exposure in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an error in a previous rating decision, and needs to schedule a new VA examination for the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with disc herniation and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, both found to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded as there are insufficient medical opinions addressing whether it is secondary to obesity resulting from a service-connected disability.

The Veteran is currently employed and has not been found unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and found no entitlement to an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, as the evidence did not support a direct relationship between the disabilities and service.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims for various conditions, including post-polio syndrome and its secondary effects, due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for left hip osteoarthritis and lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back, right hip and bilateral pes planus disabilities as secondary to the service-connected bilateral knee disability due to an altered gait. The Veteran needs VA opinions on whether these conditions were caused or aggravated by his service-connected knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for right knee disability and service connection for Hepatitis C are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports. The Board requests additional retrospective opinions from VA clinicians to address the Veteran's symptoms, range of motion, and etiology.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been denied. The Board found that the current severity of the disabilities does not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to March 19, 2009 for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is denied because his service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for TDIU and there is no evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis with spinal stenosis and IVDS is rated at 60% effective July 26, 2019. A separate 10% rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted from that date.