Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee disability, which is characterized as contracture and unilateral primary osteoarthritis (OA) of the right knee with an artificial joint. The claim was based on the theory that this condition is secondary to a fracture of the great toe of the right foot.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral knee conditions and mental health issues, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to July 2, 2015.

The Veteran's back disability was rated at 20 percent from April 28, 2016 to April 7, 2019. The Board denied a TDIU prior to April 8, 2019 due to insufficient evidence showing the Veteran could not secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee and right knee osteoarthritis, chondromalacia patellae, patellofemoral dysfunction, and meniscal tear. The conditions are related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Morning Reports from the Veteran's unit during Basic Training and seeking opinions on whether the Veteran's current joint disorders are related to his service or due to herbicide exposure. The claims of urinary incontinence, left thumb disorder, right thumb disorder, and rectal, bowel, or colon disability as due to military sexual assault have also been remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability was incurred during his period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disabilities, finding that they were aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of hypertension, heart disorder, BPH, cervical spine degenerative disc disease with cervical muscle spasm, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and spondylosis, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, bilateral hip degenerative arthritis, right knee DJD, right ankle condition, vision disability (glaucoma and cataracts), and acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service.

The Board dismissed all appeals due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for osteoarthritis of the ring and little finger of the right hand is being remanded due to additional development needed.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability resulted in severe postoperative residuals and therapeutic immobilization of a major joint for more than a month, resulting in a temporary total rating. The cervical spine disability was granted at 20 percent from January 12, 2015, to January 2, 2019, with no further increase in rating sought.

The Board has dismissed appeals for initial ratings and effective dates related to depression, anxiety, and a low back disability. The remaining issues of increased ratings for the low back disability and lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as service connection for upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right eye cataract and right knee osteoarthritis due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete records. The Veteran needs a VA examination to determine if his conditions are related to his military service, including exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and opinion regarding service connection for a bilateral foot disorder. The Veteran's testimony during his hearing that he experienced internal foot pain during service is being considered in rendering the nexus opinion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear sensorineural hearing loss, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, and degenerative arthritis of the right knee. The claims were remanded for further development in one case.,Service connection was established for these conditions based on a finding that they are related to service due to exposure to acoustic trauma during active duty.

The Board has determined that the issue of entitlement to a TDIU is moot as the Veteran's combined disability rating does not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent, the minimum compensable rating. The Board found that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board denied service connection for left knee and lumbar spine disabilities on a direct basis, finding that the conditions did not have their onset in service or are otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury.,Right wrist disability was remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its secondary nature to service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with previous remand directives and insufficient rationale in the VA examiner's opinion regarding the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis.