Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that it is not related to his military service or any service-connected condition. The opinions provided by VA examiners supported this conclusion.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for the right knee disability and a separate compensable rating for right knee limitation of extension.

The Veteran's left hand disability is denied as there is no current diagnosis related to the September 2010 injury during ACDUTRA. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any other left hand disability.,Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is granted as it manifested within one year of separation from service and is presumed due to service.

The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for left knee degenerative joint disease and right knee degenerative arthritis have been denied. The Board found that the criteria for an increased rating were not met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability is directly related to service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him bedridden or in need of regular aid and attendance, thus his claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there was no causal relationship between his in-service injury and current condition. The Board also found no evidence of secondary service connection due to his service-connected left knee DJD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hammertoe deformities and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 15, 2015.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a bilateral foot disorder due to new and material evidence submitted. However, the claim remains denied as there is no persuasive evidence linking the current condition to her time in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disorders and an incomplete opinion from the March 2021 VA examiner. A new examination is needed.

The Board denied service connection for a right foot disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not causally related to any in-service incident and outweighed by the VA opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder and knee disorders due to potential issues with diagnosis and causation. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his current conditions, which may be related to his military service or pre-existing right shoulder degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,His left knee and ankle disorders are not found to be related to his military service, with the exception of a right knee disorder that may be secondary to his left knee disorder. The claims for left knee and ankle disorders are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not found to be related to his military service.,His right knee disorder is also not found to be related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, despite his reported symptoms and educational background.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for additional evidence and an examination, as well as potential changes in rating criteria following the Veteran's recent total right knee replacement.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional examinations to address functional loss due to flare-ups and repetitive use over time, as the previous VA examinations were inadequate in this regard.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues concerning his left knee disability and TDIU prior to July 13, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for disability of the thoracolumbar spine and sleep apnea due to additional development being necessary.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected low back disability, including on an extraschedular basis, is being remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's left foot disability has been granted an initial 10 percent rating. The other issues related to the hips and knee have been remanded for further examination.