Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder supraspinatus tear, impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tendonitis, and degenerative arthritis, finding that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these disabilities began during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, as well as alcohol abuse disability and peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities.,Reasoning: The medical evidence supports a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate November 2016 VA examination and a need for a new VA examination to assess the Veteran's right shoulder disability, including flare-ups.

The Board denied service connection for chronic neck pain, finding no evidence of a disease or injury during active duty or qualifying periods of reserve service. The Veteran's current cervical spine disability is not related to any in-service event and is considered a result of normal aging.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU for the period from June 22, 2015 to August 9, 2020 due to his service-connected disabilities. For the earlier period, he did not meet the criteria.

The Veteran's initial claim for a low back disability was denied, and her subsequent increased rating claims were also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support ratings in excess of 10 percent or 40 percent from October 24, 2016 to September 28, 2017, and from September 29, 2017 respectively.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized as degenerative arthritis with recurrent patellar dislocation, is currently evaluated at a 20 percent rating. The Board denied an increased rating beyond this level.

The Veteran's right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis is currently rated at 20 percent prior to February 18, 2020 and denied for a higher rating. The Veteran's left knee chronic synovitis and degenerative joint disease, right knee chronic synovitis and degenerative joint disease, and bilateral plantar fasciitis and pes planus are all currently rated at 10 percent prior to February 18, 2020 and denied for higher ratings.,From February 18, 2020, the Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis and pes planus is rated at 30 percent and denied for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for her lumbar spine disability and service connection for fibromyalgia are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining retrospective opinions regarding functional loss and a specific opinion on whether the Veteran's symptomatology is related to an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the evidence does not support a secondary relationship to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of January 23, 2008 for the grant of service connection for left upper extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's claim was reopened based on new evidence submitted after a previous denial.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and IVDS, finding that the evidence did not support such a higher rating given the degree of limitation of motion.

The Veteran's left and right foot disabilities have been granted service connection with effective dates of June 27, 2013. Effective date for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has not been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to insufficient evidence of current disability severity and potential inextricably intertwined TDIU claim.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence provided.

The Veteran's service-connected left lower extremity neuropathy with foot drop, combined with his bilateral knee arthritis, causes the loss of use of his left lower extremity and precludes locomotion without assistive devices. The Board granted a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for left and right knee osteoarthritis, as well as separate ratings for instability of both knees. The criteria for a higher rating were not met based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Veteran's current right hand degenerative arthritis is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it is related to his service-connected fractures of the second and third metacarpals.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's right foot disability and its relationship to service. The claim will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar degenerative joint disease, left medial meniscal tear, and left ankle ligamentous sprain are being remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations and opinions.