Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hip and bilateral knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, secondary to his cervical spine disability, are granted. The claim for an increased rating for deviated septum with residuals of broken nose is remanded.

The Veteran's back condition is granted service connection, but his left hand arthritis, bilateral elbow degenerative arthritis, right hand arthritis, and right carpal tunnel syndrome are denied.

The Veteran's neck disabilities, diagnosed as a cervical strain and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, are granted service connection. The low back and left knee disability issues have been remanded.

All claims for service connection or compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 have been dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran, and some issues were remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability was granted with an effective date of June 17, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons or bases for denying an increased evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected low back disability. The Court found that the Board failed to address evidence indicating additional functional loss and disregarded the Veteran's statements about pain and movement limitations.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disability rating is 40 percent, which does not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU. The evidence does not support that his service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral ankle disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and treatment records.

The Board has restored the Veteran's ratings for his left and right knee disabilities from 20% to 10%, finding that the reductions were improper due to a lack of evidence showing an improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The Board denied service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, but granted it for a liver disability and an enlarged spleen.,Service connection was also remanded for right knee and left knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee disability, but remanded the claims for his spine, left knee, and right foot disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's requests to reopen claims for sinusitis, right hip osteoarthritis, and cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity have been granted. The issues of entitlement to service connection for sinusitis, right hip osteoarthritis, and cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the spine with IVDS and radiculopathy of the left sciatica nerve are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records to be reviewed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of increased ratings for left elbow degenerative arthritis and thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis prior to March 15, 2019.

The Veteran's application to reopen the previously denied service connection claims for fallen arches and right knee condition was granted.,Service connection for skin rash, bilateral flat feet, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right knee DJD, left knee DJD, right ankle tendonitis, and left ankle tendonitis is also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for low back, left shoulder, left hip, and left knee disabilities. The right hip and right knee disabilities are denied as secondary to the other disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or chronic disease, and that any current conditions are not proximate to his service-connected hip and spine disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and sleep apnea due to inadequate VA examinations in the original decision. The Veteran will need new medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right knee disability due to insufficient evidence in previous examinations. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a rating for her right knee osteoarthritis are also being remanded.