Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2021

The Veteran's right hip and right knee disabilities are granted as secondary to his service-connected residuals of shrapnel wound in the right thigh. A disability rating of 40 percent is granted for the residuals of shrapnel wound, right thigh, muscle group XIV.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disorder, to include meniscal tear with degenerative arthritis. The issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension have been remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hip disability is caused or aggravated by her service-connected conditions, including fibromyalgia and low back disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from August 11, 2017, to June 14, 2021. The Board granted a TDIU based on the evidence in equipoise.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Veteran is seeking an increase in his rating for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, which may impact his radiculopathy of the right lower extremity.

The Veteran's left knee residuals of arthroscopic surgery are rated at 20 percent for moderate instability prior to October 6, 2015 and at 30 percent since May 12, 2016. The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis is rated at 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, right knee, left knee, and back disorders due to inadequate medical opinions in the April 2019 VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right foot plantar fasciitis, right knee painful motion, and left knee degenerative arthritis were denied. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflected the severity of the disabilities.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU for the entire period on appeal due to his service-connected back disability.,The issue of an extraschedular rating in excess of 40 percent for the service-connected back disability is dismissed as moot because the Veteran has been granted a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for asthma and degenerative arthritis of the spine, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for TBI, thoracolumbar spine disability, right hip disability, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and service.,Service connection was also denied for depression as it is not shown to be related to any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection as they were related to in-service noise exposure. Service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at 20 percent prior to August 24, 2018. The claim for TDIU is being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis (multiple joints) and osteoporosis, finding that the current diagnoses are not causally related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea, Wegener's Granulomatosis (GPA), neck disability, and osteoarthritis of multiple parts due to insufficient examination reports.,The Veteran is currently service connected for allergic rhinitis and sinusitis.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 20 percent, effective May 21, 2021. The Veteran's ankle disabilities have been increased to 30 percent each.,The Veteran's surgical scar of the left ankle is rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability, including osteoarthritis/degenerative disc disease, had its onset in service and is related to his active military service aboard a U.S. naval vessel. As such, the claim for service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including old compression fracture with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and left lower extremity radiculopathy, are being remanded for further development to determine their current severity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disorder is granted, and his claims for increased evaluations for left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for neck disability, left and right knee degenerative arthritis, and back disability. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or were related to in-service injuries.