Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if his lumbar spine, cervical spine, knee, shoulder, and ankle disabilities are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a lumbar spine disability, as there is insufficient evidence regarding whether his current condition was incurred in service. The case will be referred back to VA for further evaluation and consideration.

The Veteran's low back disability was initially rated at 10 percent from October 19, 2015, to March 28, 2022. Since then, a higher rating of 20 percent has been granted retroactively effective from May 17, 2018.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral feet, and ankles have been granted.,Service connection has also been established for major depressive disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection for a headache disability are remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased ratings greater than 30 percent for each knee on and after May 6, 2021. The remaining issues of increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with a lumbar strain, status post anterior fusion; initial rating greater than 20 percent for RIGHT lower extremity radiculopathy prior to December 10, 2019 and on and after December 10, 2019; and temporary total rating under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.30 following lumbar spine surgeries have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective May 30, 2017, based on his service-connected PTSD and other disabilities. The Board found the earliest date it was factually ascertainable that he was unemployable due to these conditions was March 1, 2017.

The Veteran's initial ratings for pseudofolliculitis barbae and right shoulder strain and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis have been granted. However, the rating for right shoulder strain and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis is remanded due to insufficient examination findings.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's right wrist ganglion cyst with residual scar, finding that her symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has dismissed all issues of entitlement to increased ratings for various conditions as the Veteran passed away before a final decision could be made.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and a need for further development of records, including service treatment records and military personnel records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered on its merits.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her lumbar spine disability was denied as the evidence did not show that her forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine was limited to 30 degrees or less, which is required for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's somatic symptoms disorder with depression and anxiety, right ear hearing loss, bilateral shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, bilateral knee degenerative arthritis and chondromalacia, bilateral ankle strain, and left foot condition (various diagnoses) have all been granted service connection.,An initial compensable rating for a post appendectomy scar has not been met.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's neck disability is being reviewed for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left thumb and cervical spine conditions due to inadequate VA examination reports. The Veteran is required to provide evidence of in-service motor vehicle accidents, which may affect his claims.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for his back and right knee disabilities have been granted, but the appeals for higher ratings are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed due to withdrawal requests. The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for PTSD, service connection for a sleep disorder (to include narcolepsy and sleep apnea), and service connection for degenerative arthritis of the neck.

The Board has dismissed the claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis, IVDS, and herniated disc with disc protrusion and impingement of the L4 nerve root due to a full grant of this benefit in July 2020. The appeal is remanded for further examination regarding the Veteran's left hip disability.