Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2021

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to lack of a causal link between the disabilities and the service-connected bilateral peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disease and left knee degenerative arthritis, but the case is remanded for further development on other issues.,Additional search efforts are needed to obtain missing October 1987 to March 1988 ACDUTRA STRs. The Veteran should be notified of these efforts and given an opportunity to submit alternative evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis of the bilateral upper extremities, as well as his claim for diabetes mellitus. The case will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine has full range of motion and is not service-connected.,The Veteran's right wrist symptomatology has most nearly approximated painful motion, which warrants a 10% rating under Diagnostic Code 5215. The left wrist also has painful motion, warranting a separate 10% rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his back disability from April 16, 2013 was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the cases for obtaining VA treatment records from December 1989 to April 2011 and private post-service treatment records. The issues of earlier effective dates and a compensable rating are inextricably intertwined, so both must be addressed together.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings in excess of 10 percent for his right knee and left knee conditions are remanded. The Veteran also has a finding of total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) and special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate is granted.

The Board has restored a 20 percent disability rating for the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that there was actual improvement in her condition and it reflects an improvement in her ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder are all granted as service-connected. The Veteran has a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a 100% rating for total right knee replacement after December 31, 2021 is denied as the criteria are not met. The Veteran was previously awarded a 100% rating based on his total right knee replacement from November 3, 2020 until December 31, 2021.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral foot disabilities are related to his active-duty service, and therefore grants service connection for a bilateral foot condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her lumbosacral spine disability was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was denied increased ratings, and other conditions were also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service parachute jumps during ACDUTRA.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU rating due to service-connected PTSD effective October 27, 2015. The Board has granted a TDIU rating as of that date.

The Veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine and a TDIU have been remanded due to incomplete examination findings. Updated VA treatment records are needed, and the Veteran should be scheduled for a VA examination.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for left knee instability and denied any increase in the rating for degenerative arthritis of the left knee. The Veteran's condition is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to January 7, 2014, and in excess of 50 percent on and after January 7, 2014, for a not otherwise specified depressive disorder; for a rating in excess of 40 percent for sacroiliac arthroplasty with sacroiliac joint dysfunction and lumbosacral spine limitation of motion; for a rating in excess of 20 percent for right hip degenerative arthritis with tendinitis and sacroiliitis; and for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left hip degenerative arthritis with tendinitis and sacroiliitis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right knee and left lower extremity radiculopathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for initial ratings in excess of 20, 10, and 10 percent for his thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, left knee patellar chondromalacia and degenerative joint disease, and right knee patellar chondromalacia and degenerative joint disease due to the need for new examinations.