Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that the VA examination is not adequate for a contemporaneous rating and has therefore remanded the case to afford the Veteran a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) as his service-connected conditions did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's lipomas have not resulted in at least five painful scars affecting less than 5% of the entire body or exposed areas, and thus do not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent.,The Veteran's post-operative hammertoes of the right foot and left foot did not manifest to a compensable degree prior to October 7, 2013. Since then, they have manifested with pain and hammertoes affecting multiple toes, but do not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.,The Veteran's post-operative hammertoes of the right foot and left foot did not manifest to a compensable degree prior to October 7, 2013. Since then, they have manifested with pain and hammertoes affecting multiple toes, but do not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a shoulder disability as secondary to his service-connected back and radiculopathy of the lower extremities. The issues of increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, service connection for keloid scarring on face, and service connection for hands shaking, bilateral are all remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. Service connection was denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to lack of evidence linking it to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a right hand disability and TDIU, finding that there was no evidence to support an in-service injury or disease leading to his current conditions. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorder and low back disorder, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to her military service or service-connected hepatitis C.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's representative's request for a copy of the January 2022 examination, and because the right knee condition may have worsened since the last examination in January 2022. The Veteran should be provided an opportunity to report for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder is remanded.

The Board denied a revision of the December 2014 rating decision that denied service connection for a back disability, finding no clear and unmistakable error (CUE). The Veteran's claim was based on his contention that he had a current disability due to combat service. However, the Board found that the law at the time did not incorrectly apply in determining there was no current disability.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal regarding the increased rating for residuals of left shoulder injury, degenerative arthritis. As a result, the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's left shoulder and right shoulder disorders, as well as his degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and cervical spine disorder are all found to be related to service. The Veteran has been granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left knee osteoarthritis is remanded due to inadequate examination findings and the need for additional testing.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims of service connection for left and right knee osteoarthritis and lower back osteoarthritis due to new and material evidence submitted since the January 2015 final rating decision. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right foot disability was denied. The effective date of the grant of service connection for left knee joint degenerative arthritis is set at May 16, 2018. Other claims were either denied or remanded.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for her service-connected residuals of disk bulge, L5-S1, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine is being remanded due to insufficient evidence from a previous VA examination.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, rated as osteoarthritis, was granted a 20% rating prior to January 6, 2023. As of that date, the claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including arthroscopic ACL repair and degenerative arthritis, is currently rated at 10 percent. A separate 10 percent rating for instability has been granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee osteoarthritis and TDIU prior to December 1, 2010 are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, alone or in combination with other service-connected disabilities, meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU rating from December 5, 2019 to July 1, 2021. However, SMC pursuant to 38 U.S.C. §1114(s) is remanded due to insufficient evidence of his inability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.