Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's right ankle disability, which includes a service-connected fracture and arthritis, is rated at 30 percent from May 19, 2014. The Board also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his PTSD and right ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations of his bilateral knee disabilities, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to deficiencies in previous examinations and issues related to service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected osteoarthritis of the right little finger and chronic right wrist sprain with avascular necrosis of carpal bones rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to February 23, 2016. The Board granted an extraschedular total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for this period.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back disorder was granted. The claims for service connection for right ankle and TDIU were not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for general osteoarthritis of the joints and chronic pain, as well as his increased rating claims for TBI, erectile dysfunction, headache disorder, lumbosacral disc degeneration post decompression at L3-S1, right lower peroneal nerve compression neuropathy, PTSD with depression and anxiety, and TDIU have all been denied. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are found to render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 19, 2014 for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is granted. The Veteran's claim for reopening his previously denied left ear hearing loss and secondary service connection for a left foot disability are both remanded.

The Veteran's right hip disability has been rated at 10 percent since March 2016, and the Board denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's left hip disability has also been rated at 10 percent since March 2016, with the same denial of a higher rating.,The claim for TDIU was denied as the Veteran failed to complete the VA Form 21-8940 and did not provide sufficient information about his employment history.

The Veteran's right knee condition has been rated at 30 percent since January 15, 2020. The left knee tendinitis has also been rated at 30 percent since that date.

The Veteran was granted SMC at the housebound rate effective December 10, 2010 due to service-connected major depression.,SMC for loss of use of both feet was granted effective December 3, 2015.