Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

The Veteran is granted an effective date of February 9, 2012 for the assignment of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his right knee, left hip, and acquired psychiatric disorder conditions. The Veteran is required to undergo additional examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his service-connected disabilities or other events.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for right knee instability and a 20 percent rating for degenerative arthritis, right knee, with limited extension effective September 9, 2008. The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for further examination. Increased ratings for his right knee disability are also remanded.

The Veteran's low back pain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative joint disease status post discectomy and L4/5 foraminotomy have been granted disability ratings, with the most recent rating of 40 percent effective from October 1, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of his claims for a rating more than 10 percent for left carpal scaphoid fracture with degenerative arthritis, service connection for right shoulder bursitis, service connection for left foot condition, and service connection for right foot condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left knee bursitis with degenerative arthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and testing.

The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbar spine disability, bilateral hip osteoarthritis, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted. The claim for erectile dysfunction (E.D.) is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's right knee instability is rated at 20 percent effective April 9, 2014, and continues to February 7, 2021. The rating for limitation of flexion remains at 10 percent from April 9, 2014, to April 12, 2017, and is then denied. The rating for limitation of extension remains at noncompensable.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his low back disability and radiculopathy of the lower extremities have been denied. The VA has found that the Veteran's symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation based on current medical evidence.,The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated as 40 percent disabling, which is the maximum rating available under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an incomplete VA examination, and a new opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's current back disorder is related to his military service.

The appeal regarding entitlement to a higher rating for TBI is dismissed. A rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied. The remaining issues are remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete medical opinions and potential service connection based on exposure in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's service connection claims for knee disabilities and scars are granted. The Board finds additional development is needed to address the Veteran's shin splints.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder and hypertension. The issues are inextricably intertwined with his claim of service connection for a psychiatric condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right wrist osteoarthritis and left wrist radial fracture with dislocation, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on functional loss or ankylosis.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating.,The Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal involves the rating of his service-connected right knee disability and femoral neuropathy. The Board has determined that further development is needed to clarify the nature and severity of these disabilities, particularly in relation to their overlap with other conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, as his non-service-connected ankle and feet conditions also limit his employment.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a lumbar spine disability is denied. The Board finds that the current condition of degenerative changes in the lumbar spine is less likely than not related to service.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and lumbar arthralgia are being remanded for additional development. The TDIU claim is also remanded.