Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that they are related to his service. The disabilities were diagnosed as gout or degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history, warranting a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for low back disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.,Service connection was also denied on a secondary basis due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the spine with IVDS, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity were denied. The current rating of 40% for degenerative arthritis of the spine is maintained.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from July 13, 2017. The Board granted TDIU for this period but remanded the issue of TDIU prior to July 13, 2017.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his obesity, which is a substantial factor in causing sleep apnea. The Veteran was asked to provide a copy of an article referenced by hyperlink in the April 2022 appeal brief.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent, as his range of motion is sufficient to meet the criteria for a 20 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's appeals for an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder were dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's low back disability is granted a 30 percent rating for the entire appeal period, and his right foot condition is denied service connection.

The Board denied service connection for left knee and right knee disabilities, as well as left and right hand congenital flexion contractures, finding no current disability in the record.,There is no evidence of a chronic disability that has manifested to a degree of 10 percent or more warranting presumptive service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right and left knee conditions, as well as a compensable rating for Achilles' tendonitis of the right foot, have been dismissed.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder, right arm disorder, and left arm disorder secondary to his service-connected bursitis, tendonitis, and deformity of the left clavicle are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his right knee disability is being remanded due to the addition of new evidence since the May 2021 supplemental statement of the case. The AOJ must consider this new evidence before the Board can make a decision.

The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction, attributing it to non-service-connected causes. It also remanded the issues of right and left ankle disabilities.,Service connection was not granted for right or left ankle disabilities due to lack of evidence showing their onset during active duty.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left wrist arthritis as secondary to his service-connected left wrist fibroma, finding that there is a nexus between the current condition and military service.

Service connection is granted for right knee osteoarthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, and a wasp sting residual face scar. Service connection is denied for anxiety disorder and insomnia. Hypothyroidism service connection is also denied.

The Veteran's right knee replacement rating was restored to 30 percent effective February 1, 2019. The right knee limitation of flexion rating was also restored.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and bilateral flat foot conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service physical training and service-connected thoracolumbar spine and radiculopathy conditions. As a result, the claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral elbow and wrist disabilities due to a lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hemorrhoids are related to his active duty service and granted service connection for this condition. The back and knee conditions have been remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right ankle fracture residuals with fusion and osteoarthritis has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.