Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

Service connection for benign essential tremors is granted.,Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and tinnitus is also granted. However, service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition remains pending as further examination is needed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for his back condition, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability in service or within the presumptive period, and concluding that the current back conditions are more likely due to normal aging rather than an in-service injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine is not related to service and cannot be considered secondary to a service-connected condition. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the bilateral shoulders and neck, finding no evidence linking these conditions to active service or a service-connected disability.,Both the bilateral shoulder condition and neck condition are considered 'direct' service connection cases, meaning they were not caused by a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee disability due to uncertainty regarding functional ankylosis and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right hip osteoarthritis due to incomplete development and failure to provide a statement of reasons and bases. The claim will be returned to the AOJ for further review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis, as well as his right and left hip osteoarthritis (secondary to knee conditions), are related to service. However, due to a duty-to-assist error, the claims must be remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability and for diabetic neuropathy of his upper and lower extremities as secondary to service-connected diabetes. The Board found no evidence of a chronic disease during or within one year after service, and concluded that any current disabilities are not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders have been remanded due to the submission of new evidence.,Service connection has not been established for a left shoulder disorder.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically depressive disorder, is found to be related to his service-connected hypothyroidism.,Bilateral hip avascular necrosis and osteopenia are both determined to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected pituitary adenoma.

The Veteran's appeal for reducing his disability rating from 30 percent to 10 percent for left leg and ankle issues has been dismissed because the Veteran withdrew the appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for asthma and remanded the issue of service connection for a cervical spine disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis with spondylosis and an initial compensable rating for a vertebral fracture due to inadequate medical opinions. The issues are related as they both involve the Veteran's service-connected vertebral fracture.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, tinnitus associated with TBI, and headaches related to TBI, are not considered sufficient to render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete VA treatment records and new theories of entitlement raised by the Veteran. The claims will be reconsidered with additional evidence and opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support the contention that his current left ankle disorders were proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected psoriasis, diabetes mellitus type II, or psoriatic arthritis of the right knee.

A 20 percent rating for service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine (back disability) is granted from August 28, 2017 to July 5, 2022.,Prior to August 28, 2017, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected back disability is denied.,A rating in excess of 20 percent from July 5, 2022, for service-connected back disability is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's neck and low back disabilities, finding that they are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU are being remanded due to the need to obtain SSA records and complete VA forms related to employment information.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional medical opinions to determine if the Veteran's cervical spine and scoliosis disabilities are related to his military service, and if a right knee strain is secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease.