Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of effective date, disability rating, and TDIU. The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder dislocation with rotator cuff tear remains on appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, including osteoarthritis, finding that there was no increase in severity during service and concluding that the pre-existing condition did not worsen beyond its natural progression.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his employment as a chaplain/civil servant with the U.S. Army, and he has not provided sufficient information regarding his current employment status.

The Veteran's appeal of the increased rating for her low back disability was dismissed because she did not file a timely substantive appeal in response to the June 2021 Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) that denied entitlement to an increased rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left lower extremity radiculopathy and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, as well as his claim for a TDIU due to ongoing development of medical records and examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate retrospective medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disability and TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to June 16, 2020.

The Board has vacated the May 12, 2021 decision and remanded for consideration of additional evidence related to right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's low back disability and associated radiculopathies are now rated at 20 percent effective June 12, 2017. The right leg-length discrepancy is not compensable, and the left and right ankle disabilities are each rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disorder and its relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Board has dismissed the claim as moot because the Veteran's thoracolumbar disability, including a C7-T1 fusion, was granted service connection in an April 2022 rating decision.

The Veteran's back condition, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis of the spine, is granted service connection. The right hip condition remains in dispute and requires further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions and failure to comply with previous remands. The Veteran's right knee conditions are being reviewed again for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis lumbar spine, lumbosacral strain and thoracic spine strain has been dismissed as the Veteran requested withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of a stroke as secondary to service-connected right knee disorder is dismissed. The issue of service connection for a left knee disorder, including osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, and partial ACL tear, as secondary to service-connected right knee disorder is remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service connected. The back disability issue was remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's PIP strain of the fourth finger of the left hand is granted service connection. An initial disability evaluation of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with DDD and IVDS is granted effective September 19, 2016. Separate 10 percent evaluations are granted for left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy and sciatic nerve radiculopathy beginning December 1, 2019.

The Board has found that an additional VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's left shoulder disabilities. The appeal for service connection for a left arm condition, including bicipital tendon tear, is also remanded.

The Veteran's scoliosis and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine have been rated at 20 percent since May 28, 2013. The Board finds that this rating is appropriate as the evidence shows a combined range of motion greater than 120 degrees but not greater than 235 degrees.,The Veteran's right knee replacement has been rated at 30 percent since April 2015. The Board finds that this rating is appropriate based on the presence of intermediate degrees of residual weakness.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee disability, finding that there is not an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence to support a finding that his current right knee disabilities are related to service or his service-connected left knee disability.