Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation since March 25, 2015.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, GERD with Barrett's esophagus, bilateral shoulder condition, and bilateral osteoarthritis of AC joints are denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.,The Veteran's left bicep condition is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to a lack of adequate medical examinations and opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed TBI and degenerative arthritis of the spine.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a low back disability due to new evidence and additional development needed.

The Veteran's claimed spinal conditions are not service-connected as they are not related to his military service and do not qualify under the presumptive provisions for Persian Gulf War veterans.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to conflicting medical opinions and lack of documentation regarding the Veteran's knee conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, including whether they are related to service or other factors. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his right knee disability prior to November 16, 2017, and since February 1, 2019, is denied.,For the period prior to November 16, 2017, the Veteran was not entitled to an increased rating as he did not experience limitation of motion or painful limited motion that met the criteria for a compensable rating under specific knee codes based on limitation of motion. The Board also found no additional functional loss due to pain.,Since February 1, 2019, the Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 60 percent for chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness in the affected extremity.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 40 percent for low back strain with degenerative arthritis to include intervertebral disc degeneration is denied. The reduction in ratings for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy from March 2, 2017 is void ab initio. Claims for TDIU are granted and dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as his lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted. The Veteran now receives a disability rating of 50 percent for each affected joint from September 9, 2020.

Your claim for service connection for a right foot disorder, including degenerative arthritis, has been fully granted in the September 2021 rating decision. As this is a full grant of benefit sought on appeal, your case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee osteoarthritis due to a failure to obtain a VA examination addressing the claim on a direct incurrence basis.

The Veteran's cervical spine and right wrist disorders are remanded for additional medical opinions to determine if they were incurred in or caused by service.

The Veteran's right long finger and index finger disabilities have been rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 5229, which is the maximum rating provided for these conditions. The Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.,On remand, the VA examiner should clarify whether the Veteran has additional neck disabilities other than 'cramp in neck associated with scar status post excision of gland' and provide an opinion as to their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current knee disorders are related to her military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee disabilities and PTSD are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and the claims for left shoulder, hand, hip, leg, and foot disabilities are granted as secondary to his service-connected cervical disability. The claim for urinary incontinence is also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the hands, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and cervical spine spondylosis (neck disability) have been granted higher initial ratings as of January 1, 2012.

The Board determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis and disc disease, right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, right lower extremity femoral radiculopathy, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, left lower extremity femoral radiculopathy, left hip limitation of flexion, left hip limitation of adduction, left hip limitation of extension, and cervical strain with spondylosis, are sufficient to grant a 100 percent combined rating. However, the Board found that the Veteran is not entitled to TDIU because his disabilities do not prevent him from maintaining any substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability and remanded several other issues due to the need for additional development.