Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and associated lower extremity radiculopathy are rated at 40 percent prior to October 27, 2020. From that date, the disability is rated at 40 percent. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the collective impact of her service-connected disabilities on her ability to work.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication, including obtaining a new Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) that considers all evidence generated since the previous SSOC.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher initial ratings for service-connected right and left shoulder glenohumeral osteoarthritis (OA) and acromioclavicular OA with widening.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of whether the Veteran's right knee disability has worsened.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are being remanded for further evaluation due to unclear functional loss and incomplete examination report.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left hip, right hip, and cervical spine. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service or any service-connected condition.,Specifically, multiple VA examiners have found no evidence linking the Veteran's current hip and cervical spine disorders to his in-service meningococcemia.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, but no higher. The issue of an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine was denied.,The Veteran's sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity and right lower extremity are each rated at 40 percent, but no higher.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including residuals of traumatic brain injury, left shoulder osteoarthritis, bilateral ankle condition, nephrolithiasis (due to herbicide exposure), bilateral knee osteoarthritis, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, BLE sciatica, hypertension, and diverticulosis. The Veteran did not have these conditions at the time of service or within one year after discharge.

The Veteran's right knee disability claim is being remanded due to noncompliance with previous Board directives and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 10 percent for his service-connected left knee degenerative arthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional development and review.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee, spine, right foot, and right knee disorder (arthritis and replacement), as well as left foot hallux valgus. Service connection was denied for degenerative arthritis of the right and left thumbs.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease is granted. The claim for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss is denied, and the claim for entitlement to a compensable rating for dermatitis is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to an incomplete medical opinion and a failure to consider potentially favorable evidence of record, including the Veteran's lay statements regarding continuous symptoms post-service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for further evaluation of his lumbar spine disability and psychiatric condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist and skin disorders due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding the onset of his symptoms.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, plantar fasciitis, osteoarthritis of the feet, and bilateral hallux valgus and hammertoe. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and the veteran's military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to military service.

The reduction of the rating for low back disability from 40% to 20% was improper, and the 40% rating is restored. The case regarding entitlement to TDIU prior to November 17, 2016, is remanded.