Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's hand disabilities are related to service or secondary to any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's back disability has been rated at 10 percent since November 2021, and the Board finds no evidence of additional loss of motion or other factors warranting a higher rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability and bilateral knee disabilities. The claim for service connection for a groin or testicular disability is remanded.,The Veteran was not granted service connection for his claimed respiratory, bilateral knee, or groin/testicular conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral foot condition, including hallux valgus, hammertoes, callosities, and osteoarthritis, is found to be service-connected as these conditions are considered to have been caused by or incurred in military service.

The Veteran's left knee chondromalacia patella is granted service connection. The issues of bilateral knee osteoarthritis and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in previous opinions and a need for new opinions from an examiner other than Dr. Sirisha Koneru.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on instability or other complications.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the skeletal system and hypertension due to issues with proper notice, lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives, and new evidence suggesting a possible secondary service-connection claim.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by painful motion and frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion, is rated at 20 percent since April 23, 2013. A separate rating for limited flexion remains denied.

The Veteran's service-connected knee and ankle disabilities prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment starting in May 2009, leading to a TDIU effective date of May 31, 2009.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to outstanding treatment records, particularly those from a private neurosurgeon and VA's Veterans Choice Program.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration. The Veteran's claims for service connection are not granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer and tinnitus. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and degenerative arthritis of the right ankle, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of July 15, 2010. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

Service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and right leg radiculopathy is granted effective November 5, 2008.,Service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis, headaches, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to cervical spine degenerative arthritis are all granted effective November 5, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for amputation of the right ring and little fingers, with degenerative arthritis, was denied. Separate ratings were granted for limitation of motion of the index finger (0%) from April 21, 2015 to November 28, 2021, and for limitation of motion of the long finger (10%).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination, and requests further development including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical spine and right upper extremity radiculopathy disabilities due to incomplete range of motion measurements and lack of specific information regarding flare-ups.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year after separation. The Board also found that the current back disability is not related to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the percentage requirements for a schedular TDIU. The Board referred the case to the Director of Compensation Service for extra-schedular consideration due to his unemployability.