Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for increased disability evaluations due to inadequate medical opinions in the January 2021 VA examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to April 23, 2013, is remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board finds sufficient evidence to substantiate the possibility of unemployability by reason of service-connected disabilities prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine (low back syndrome) did not begin or be aggravated during his active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, IBS, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right knee degenerative arthritis are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. The VA will schedule examinations to determine if these conditions are related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis is rated at 40 percent, effective April 15, 2011. The rating for right leg sciatica was granted at 20 percent as of September 20, 2019.

The Board granted service connection for right ear Eustachian tube dysfunction, finding that the Veteran's current disability is related to his in-service diagnosis of Eustachian tube dysfunction.,Service connection was denied for left index finger conditions due to a lack of evidence showing their onset during active service or being otherwise related to service.

The Board has remanded the issues related to increased disability ratings for right knee disabilities due to incomplete VA examination in June 2022. A new VA examination is needed to assess current severity and functional impairment of the right knee.

The Board has denied service connection for various knee, back, neck, shoulder, and foot disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal in its entirety prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran's hip disabilities are currently rated based on limitation of motion, and additional information is needed regarding how pain affects her range of motion.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of bilateral ankles, chronic degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine with bulging disc, and osteoarthritis of bilateral knees. The decision is based on evidence in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service rheumatic fever.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral pes planus, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the nature of his service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, finding that it is related to an in-service car accident and fracture. The decision resolves doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee disability, finding that symptoms began during service and have been continuous since then. The decision is based on the presumption of service connection for arthritis under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(b).

The Veteran's service connection claims for left and right knee degenerative arthritis are granted. The claim for left hand CTS is remanded due to the need for an opinion regarding its relationship to her service-connected right hand CTS.

The Veteran's request to reopen the claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been granted. The claims for right hip disability, right knee strain with degenerative arthritis, and PTSD are all remanded due to insufficient examination reports.

The Veteran's claim for reopening service connection for his left shoulder disability, including rotator cuff tear and osteoarthritis, is being remanded due to the need for a hearing with a Decision Officer (DO).

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine is rated at 20 percent for the period from March 10, 2017 to October 18, 2019. For the period beginning October 18, 2019, a higher rating than 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the spine is denied.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is granted a 40 percent rating, effective from the date of claim. Service connection for other specific trauma-related disorder and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy are also granted.

The Board denied increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's range of motion did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5260 or 5261.