Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

The Board has denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, as well as right and left hip disorders. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, granting an initial rating for the condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disorder is granted. The Board has also remanded the issue of secondary service connection for low back disorder related to his right ankle disorder.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, right foot condition, and increased evaluation for tinnitus were dismissed. The remaining issues of service connection for various knee disabilities, shoulder conditions, and hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's right-knee chondromalacia patella with degenerative arthritis is rated at 30 percent from January 24, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for right foot and left foot disabilities, including degenerative arthritis, hallux valgus, and hallux limitus. The conditions are considered to be directly related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and osteoarthritis as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the appellant's active service.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable disability ratings, increased disability ratings, and a rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected right shoulder disabilities are being remanded due to inadequate examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for his service-connected cervical spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to inadequate examinations and lack of information on flare-ups.

The Board has granted service connection for the claimed conditions in a September 2022 rating decision, and as such, there is no longer any case or controversy to consider.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirement for TDIU due to his service-connected cervical spine degenerative arthritis, thoracic spine fractures and degenerative arthritis, bilateral knee retropatellar syndrome, and tinnitus that render him unable to follow a substantially gainful occupation from November 16, 2013 to March 15, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine was denied. Separate ratings of 10 percent were granted for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy effective from February 23, 2021.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis and left upper extremity radiculopathy are granted as service connected.,From May 23, 2016 to August 21, 2018, the Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for his right knee disability as secondary to service-connected disabilities and/or due to obesity, as well as his degenerative arthritis of the right foot. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to address whether his service-connected posttraumatic arthritis of the right ankle and/or degenerative arthritis of the right foot caused or aggravated his right knee disability and if not whether his osteoarthritis of the right knee was caused by these conditions with obesity as an intermediate step.

The Board denied service connection for right knee and right foot disorders, finding that the current conditions are not related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.,The evidence did not support a secondary service connection claim.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at a maximum of 30 percent, and the issues related to his gastrointestinal disorder are remanded for further review. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a link between his current degenerative arthritis and his active service.,The Board has also remanded the claims for service connection for left ankle and left foot disabilities due to conflicting medical opinions and lack of proper evidentiary development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for intermittent tension headaches, cervical spine degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease other than IVDS, right hip strain and trochanteric pain syndrome, left hip strain and trochanteric pain syndrome, and pan sinusitis of the sphenoidal and maxillary sinuses with bilateral mastoid effusions have all been granted due to presumed exposure during service in Southwest Asia.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition, finding that the Veteran's congenital scoliosis and kyphosis were not aggravated during service and there was no superimposed injury or disease. The Board also found that her osteoporosis, degenerative arthritis, strain, and intervertebral disc syndrome did not manifest due to service.,The Board denied service connection for a neck condition, finding that the Veteran's neck pain did not begin during service and there was no evidence of aggravation by service.