Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for initial ratings for knee conditions due to incomplete examination findings and recent revisions to rating criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left wrist osteoarthritis and tendonitis, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling for limitation of flexion. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,PTSD prior to July 17, 2015 was rated at 50 percent and the claim for an increased rating remains denied.,PTSD from July 17, 2015 to February 10, 2020 was granted a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are currently rated at 20 percent each, and the Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if higher ratings are warranted.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine due to additional development being needed.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee, lumbar spine, and psychiatric disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation from April 18, 2007 to April 17, 2008.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine was denied service connection as it did not manifest in service and is not attributable to service.,Service connection for meniscal tear, osteoarthritis, and chondromalacia of the right knee was denied. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that this condition manifested during or within one year after service and is not related to service.,The Veteran's meniscal tear and osteoarthritis of the left knee were also denied as there is no evidence showing they manifested in service.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 60 percent from October 1, 2018 to August 12, 2020. The hearing loss disability remains noncompensable.

The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for left leg hypesthesia associated with the Veteran's service-connected left knee degenerative arthritis, but denied an increased rating for his left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including unspecified depressive disorder, atypical headaches with features of migraines, chronic lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease, and other conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to additional development being necessary.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 40 percent effective August 7, 2014, based on the severity of symptoms including forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less and guarding severe enough to result in abnormal gait.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to her active military service.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise, and thus grants service connection for a disability of the right little finger.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis and arthritis, prior to August 14, 2019, is granted a 30 percent rating. Ratings for right and left ankle tendonitis are denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for GERD, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and right shoulder disability have been denied. The VA has determined that the current symptoms do not warrant a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various hand, wrist, shoulder, and spine disorders have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or a nexus to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a disability rating greater than 20 percent for his left knee degenerative arthritis with history of medial meniscectomy due to extenuating circumstances such as the Veteran's recent stroke and inability to attend VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his lumbar and cervical spine disabilities were remanded due to lack of evidence showing the required limitations in range of motion or ankylosis.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims regarding his cervical spine, lumbar strain, upper and lower extremity neuropathy, and skin disabilities. The claims are being remanded to obtain updated findings from VA examinations.