Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection was denied. The case is remanded for further action on the issues of service connection and TDIU.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been restored with specific ratings for limitation of flexion and extension, effective January 15, 2021.

The Veteran's lumbar strain is granted a 20% rating from October 29, 2014 to March 31, 2022. A 40% rating is granted since March 31, 2022 for the same condition. The Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are each rated at 20%. Service connection for cervical spine disability is remanded.

The Veteran's increased ratings for instability of the right knee with subluxation and limitation of flexion of both knees have been granted. The left knee rating has also been increased to 30 percent effective September 3, 2019.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient range of motion measurements in the previous examination, and the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left shoulder disability is now pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further review of the evidence, including a VA examination report submitted in October 2021. The issues regarding service connection are not yet resolved.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for knee and lower leg conditions are inadequate, and thus remanded the claims for a new examination.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis with winged scapula deformity was dismissed.,Service connection for PTSD due to military sexual trauma (MST) and service connection for a skin disorder, manifested by lesions on the arms and legs, were granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for swollen and painful joints of the feet, right shoulder disability, and a skin condition of the feet to include dyshidrosis due to potential service connection issues. The Veteran will need further VA examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 50 percent, but no higher. His right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are both rated at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability, including a rotator cuff tear and degenerative arthritis, is related to his service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions and a need for further examination. The Veteran's right knee disabilities are being reviewed again, with particular attention to whether they are related to her service-connected bilateral pes planus or right ankle tendonitis.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings and effective dates was denied. The left knee issues were addressed, with a 10 percent rating granted for instability and a 10 percent rating for symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage. Right and left lower extremity radiculopathy issues resulted in 20 percent ratings effective January 22, 2015, but no higher ratings were granted. The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied, as he did not meet the criteria for a combined rating of at least 60% due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board finds that further development is needed to determine if he incurred his current shoulder and back disabilities during service. The claim for service connection of the feet remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's right hip disability and his service. The VA doctor did not consider the Veteran's lay statements of continuous symptoms since service, nor clarify if more recent radiological testing was performed.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and a lower back disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty for training (ACDUTRA) service.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability, including sprain and degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service injuries.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his withdrawal of these claims. The issues of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for adjustment disorder with depressed mood, left shoulder osteoarthritis, and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease are REMANDED.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and records. The issues of rating PTSD, left knee osteoarthritis, bilateral plantar fasciitis and pes planus, recurrent thrombosis of the left lower extremity deep vessels, and hypertension are all being remanded.