Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions regarding the onset and etiology of his knee, back, COPD, and hemorrhoids disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis and degenerative arthritis are rated at 50 percent since May 13, 2017. The skin rash is rated at noncompensable since October 7, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a right upper extremity disorder (claimed as TFCC tear) due to lack of evidence linking it to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current osteoarthritis was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The Board also found no credible continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist disability due to insufficient development and lack of substantial compliance with previous Board orders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine condition and left lower extremity sciatica, finding that there is no evidence of chronic in-service disability or continuity of symptomatology. The Board also remanded the remaining issues.,The Board found insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current knee and wrist conditions are related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to address the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities throughout each distinct period on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial, compensable rating for hydrocele, status post left orchiectomy has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claim during a Board hearing. The remaining issues on appeal have been remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been granted an initial rating of 20 percent for the entire period on appeal.,For the period from March 28, 2022 to present, a higher rating of 20 percent is granted for limitation of flexion.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine and remanded the issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is not rated higher than the current assigned ratings, and temporary total evaluations for surgeries are denied. Separate or increased ratings for left upper extremity radiculopathy prior to March 2022, or from March 22, 2022, are also denied.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's allergic rhinitis and sinusitis conditions, dermatitis and tinea versicolor (claimed as chronic skin rash), lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), and right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus his claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is denied.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran's condition was not shown as chronic in service or within the applicable presumptive period and did not have continuity of symptomatology since service. The disability is also not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, and low back disorders due to inadequate VA medical opinions and failure of the Veteran to attend scheduled examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected left knee painful range of motion and degenerative arthritis with instability due to inadequate examination findings. The Veteran is now rated separately for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and other issues have been remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The Board will need to obtain updated medical records, conduct new examinations, and provide a thorough rationale for any determinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions regarding his lumbar spine disability and neck condition. The Board finds that the current rating may be incorrect due to the passage of time and a possible increase in disability, as well as insufficient service connection opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee osteoarthritis with meniscal tear, right knee instability, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The remand requires additional development including a new VA examination and consideration of functional loss during flare-ups.

The Veteran's right arm and right wrist disabilities were not incurred in service, as there is no evidence of chronic conditions noted during service or post-service manifestations. The Board found the VA medical opinions to be persuasive and denied service connection on a direct basis.