Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected physical disabilities, which have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since July 29, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disorder, including gout, pes planus, hallux valgus, plantar fasciitis, degenerative arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis is remanded due to incomplete opinions in the previous VA examination. Additional development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was denied, and his rating for degenerative arthritis with disc disease and spinal stenosis was reduced from 40% to 10%. His claim for individual unemployability due to major depressive disorder was granted.

The Veteran's PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and tinnitus are granted with specific ratings. The left knee disability is granted at a 50% rating but no higher. Service connection for shrapnel wounds of the left hand is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination report for assessing the Veteran's left ankle disability. The Veteran is seeking a higher rating for her service-connected left Achilles tendon rupture and degenerative arthritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating and TDIU due to inadequate previous VA examination reports. The Veteran is seeking increased ratings for his service-connected lumbosacral degenerative arthritis, which was previously rated as 10%, 20%, and 40% prior to January 14, 2020, from January 14, 2020 to December 21, 2020, respectively. The Veteran is also seeking a TDIU prior to January 14, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of PTSD and left forearm disability have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to new evidence being associated with the record.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in its decision regarding TDIU and DEA benefits, specifically for the period prior to April 4, 2011. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are expected to be reassessed on remand.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and consideration of lay statements regarding his knee symptoms.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for left leg varicose veins as secondary to his service-connected degenerative arthritis, left knee with meniscal tear due to disagreement over whether the varicose veins were aggravated by the knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, but the appeal is remanded for further development on other issues including hypertension, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid disability, low back disability, and degenerative arthritis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of low back, left hip, and right hip conditions due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for degenerative joint disease affecting areas other than the thoracolumbar spine and bilateral hips is also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities, as well as the issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to December 28, 2011, are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his left shoulder and left knee disabilities. The VA will schedule him for appropriate examinations to determine if ankylosis is present in either joint.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for right knee disability and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding functional loss during flare-ups and the relationship between his service-connected disabilities and OSA.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis and ischemic heart disease has been granted. The appeal is also remanded for further development regarding the residuals of right hip replacement.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied because he did not submit a completed VA Form 21-8940 to support his application, and there is no indication in the evidence of record that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine is granted a 40 percent rating, but no higher. The issue of a separate rating for a neurological disability in the bilateral lower extremities is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot disorder, including pes planus, Morton's neuroma, metatarsalgia, hammer toes, hallux valgus, plantar fascitis, and degenerative arthritis, based on the evidence showing that these conditions are related to in-service foot pain.