Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right little finger disability has been rated as noncompensable due to the severity of his condition, which is not severe enough for a compensable rating.,The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee osteoarthritis and a back disability secondary to bilateral knee osteoarthritis.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to PTSD and degenerative arthritis of the spine, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent from April 19, 2018 to October 9, 2022. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left testicular pain and dermatomycosis tinea versicolor due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and initial ratings for various conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals.

The Veteran's lumbar disability was previously rated at 10 percent and increased to 20 percent effective November 13, 2020. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and degenerative arthritis of the left knee due to incomplete development, including a lack of VA examination reports. The Veteran is also seeking an earlier effective date for TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, and the Board denies entitlement to a TDIU on both schedular and extraschedular grounds.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection for various conditions, including shoulder and knee issues and eyelid problems. The claims were dismissed as a result.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a stressor related disorder (claimed as a mental condition) secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disorder is dismissed due to the grant of service connection for depressive disorder in a previous decision.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with spinal fusion, finding that his pre-existing Scheuermann's disease was aggravated by service. The decision also remanded the issue of service connection for a right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability, including his claimed injuries during service and wear and tear from physical activities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine, right hip, and right knee disabilities. The claims will be readjudicated after these examinations.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right and left knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing their onset during or within one year after service, as well as no causal relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased rating and entitlement to TDIU due to deficiencies in the VA examination provided. The Veteran needs to provide updated treatment records, undergo a VA examination, and have their service-connected conditions evaluated.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, as he has maintained and is capable of maintaining such employment throughout the appeal period.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete examination reports and further development is required.

The Veteran's left acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, status post total left shoulder arthroplasty, is granted as service connected. The right shoulder disability issue is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases of right and left knee osteoarthritis for further development due to inadequate examination in July 2019.