Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee, neck, and hip disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is asked to provide any outstanding VA, private, or Social Security Administration records.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinion regarding flare-ups of pain in the knees.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including DJD, is granted as service connected.,The Veteran's right hip disability, including osteoarthritis, is granted as service connected.

The Board denied service connection for a right leg disorder claimed as secondary to service-connected back and/or left hip disabilities, and also denied the claim for TDIU due to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability was not incurred during service and is less likely caused by a hard landing in a helicopter, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations. The main issues are related to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, and various other conditions such as right shoulder degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine strain, hip strains, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), positional vertigo, coccydynia, knee patellar tendonitis, and migraine headaches. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are being considered for their impact on these issues.

The Veteran's right knee was granted a 10 percent rating for degenerative changes, postoperative and osteoarthritis and patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee prior to February 11, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and secondary service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy due to service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that there is a reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran's claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and temporary total disability ratings due to incomplete examination reports, specifically lacking estimates of range of motion during flare-ups or after repetitive use. The AOJ is instructed to obtain new medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right foot arthritis is related to his service. The examiner will need to provide an opinion on this matter.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than January 29, 2013 for the award of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy is denied.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than June 8, 2017 for the awards of an 80 percent rating for narcolepsy with cataplexy and sleep paralysis; a 20 percent rating for benign prostatic hypertrophy, prostatitis, and hypotonic bladder; and a 20 percent rating for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis are denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than June 8, 2017 for the award of TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and a left knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service or within the presumptive period.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates of July 7, 2017, for the grant of service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus. The appeal for an earlier effective date of July 7, 2017, for the 40% rating for degenerative arthritis and disc disease of the lumbosacral spine was granted with an effective date of July 7, 2017. Appeals for earlier effective dates of October 23, 2017, for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy were also dismissed.

Service connection is granted for lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis with IVDS, but service connection for left total hip replacement is remanded.

The Veteran's initial rating for proximal phalanx fracture, left 1st toe with osteoarthritis is granted at a 20% level. The knee issues are remanded for further examination and etiology opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right shoulder, elbow, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities have been denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service, and the current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including obtaining service treatment records and determining if any of them warrant reopening the claim for a right foot injury. The Veteran's claims for gout, right thumb disability, left rib disability, and request to reopen his right foot injury claim are currently pending.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left knee disability is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent. The Board has also remanded other issues related to service connection and TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to May 1, 2013 is being remanded due to a reasonable possibility that he was unemployable at some point prior to this date.