Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that there is a 50/50 chance (equipoise) that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the left knee was caused by injuries sustained during his period of active duty for training. Therefore, service connection is granted.

The Veteran's earlier effective date claims for overactive bladder and ED have been withdrawn. The Board has also granted service connection for hypertension and fecal incontinence.,The Veteran's bilateral hip disabilities (left and right hips) are remanded for further development as the VA examination is inadequate to address secondary aggravation or direct service connection.,The Veteran's scars, related to his right total hip arthroplasty, are also remanded for a more current evaluation.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim is remanded due to the lack of recent medical evidence and an updated examination.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the spine have been rated at 10 percent since May 29, 2015. The rating is denied as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for a back disorder, left hip disorder, and left sciatica are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. The Board finds that the necessary development has not been completed.

The Veteran's initial ratings for right and left knee flexion limitation have been granted, with a TDIU awarded from November 21, 2015 to August 12, 2018.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's left knee disability and its relationship to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of left humerus fracture including osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's in-service injury. The claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted since the final rating decisions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluations due to inconsistencies in the current VA examinations and new evidence.

The Veteran's cervical spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, and vertigo disabilities are granted as service-connected.

Service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine has been granted. Other service connection claims have been remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for further development regarding his right foot conditions, including plantar fasciitis and degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The issues on appeal include service connection for various conditions, with some cases involving exposure to herbicide or mustard gas and others requiring consideration of pre-existing conditions.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability is granted, and the Board finds that further development is needed to determine if his current condition is related to service.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and knee strains have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The TDIU claim prior to June 28, 2017, has also been remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right and left foot disorders, as well as their relationship to service-connected knee disorders.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the ratings of lumbosacral spine disc bulge, right knee osteochondritis dissecans with osteoarthritis and limited flexion, and residuals of left wrist fracture. The Board dismissed these claims as a result.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine was rated at 10 percent prior to August 9, 2021 and granted a 20 percent rating beginning on that date.,The Veteran's right eye glaucoma is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected back and bilateral knee disabilities prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus the claim for TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with IVDS is granted a 20 percent disability evaluation for the entire rating period prior to June 27, 2018.

The Veteran's disability rating for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine has been increased to 20 percent, effective from the date of the decision. Service connection has also been granted for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities as a neurological manifestation of her service-connected back disability.