Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70% rating, effective from the date of the decision. Other disabilities are also addressed and rated appropriately.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination results and a need for further development, including an additional VA examination to reassess the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Veteran's spine and sciatic nerve radiculopathy conditions are remanded for further evaluation due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left foot disorders due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of his current foot conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for cervical and lumbar osteoarthritis, finding that new and material evidence was not received since the June 2017 rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for headaches as secondary to service-connected major depressive disorder and tinnitus was granted. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, right hip strain with degenerative changes, right hip thigh impairment, left hip degenerative changes, and left hip thigh impairment were all set at April 13, 2010.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's back disability, including a new VA examination to evaluate the current level of severity. The issues on appeal are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee condition may be related to service, but more evidence is needed before a decision can be made.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis was denied. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, was also denied.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis prior to May 20, 2015 was rated at 20 percent. The Board has remanded the case for further review.

The Board has remanded two issues: entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to June 25, 2018 for service-connected left knee arthroplasty and entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected right knee osteoarthritis. The remand is due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbar sprain with degenerative arthritis of the spine is denied. The appeal for TDIU was dismissed as moot due to a higher rating being granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for an updated examination and consideration of regulatory changes that may affect his disability rating.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine is rated at 40 percent, but no higher, for the entire period on appeal. The rating is based on forward flexion to 30 degrees or less.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee osteoarthritis. The case is now remanded to address service connection for a right knee disability secondary to his service-connected left knee joint osteoarthritis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to August 26, 2010. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran's current right knee disability was related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and to obtain relevant treatment records, including those from non-VA providers. The issues of rating cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, and right elbow disability are being remanded due to the possibility of material worsening since the last VA examination in February 2018.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for persistent depressive disorder has been dismissed. The Board has remanded the remaining issues of service connection for various conditions, including left shoulder degenerative arthritis, cervical spine condition, and ankle, knee, foot, thigh, and back conditions.

Service connection for right ear hearing loss is granted.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied. The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss began during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.