Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

Effective April 1, 2015, the Veteran is granted service connection for his back disability and left hip osteoarthritis conditions. The effective date was set based on a claim filed in March 2015 for these conditions as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's hip, spine, and erectile dysfunction disorders. The claims for service connection will be remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome and bilateral foot disability, to include plantar fasciitis. The appeals have been dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors in obtaining adequate medical opinions.,All issues related to the Veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine condition, and traumatic brain injury will be addressed.

The Veteran has withdrawn all his appeals regarding the service connection and rating for various conditions, including radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, hypertensive vascular disease, left knee non-degenerative arthritis, psychological psychogenic movement disorder, and lumbar strain. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with the appellant's address and a need for further examination. The SMP claim is still pending.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disabilities are being remanded for a new VA examination and to obtain all relevant treatment records, including those from the private sector where he underwent several surgeries.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for right shoulder disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability have been dismissed.,A rating of 10% has been granted for each of the Veteran's shin splints (left and right), effective from the date of decision.

The Veteran's shin splints and right knee degenerative joint disease with knee joint osteoarthritis are not service-connected, and her request for a compensable rating for scars associated with the knee disability is denied. Her claim for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, back disability, degenerative arthritis of the left and right ankles, as well as right and left knee disabilities have all been denied. The evidence does not support a compensable evaluation for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 10 percent, and his left knee chondromalacia patella and major depressive disorder are not entitled to higher ratings. The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied.

The Veteran's right 4th finger disability and degenerative arthritis in the right shoulder are not rated higher, but he is granted a TDIU since December 1, 2023. The service connection for traumatic brain injury remains remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disability. The Veteran asserts that his current condition is related to service, but VA medical opinions are insufficient and need to be reconsidered.

The Veteran is entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to August 11, 2019 due to service-connected disabilities. Effective from August 11, 2019, the TDIU claim is granted as the Veteran already has a 100% rating for PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability as new and relevant evidence had not been submitted to readjudicate the claim. The Veteran was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, but the RO found that the evidence did not show a nexus between her current condition and service.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are rated at 20 percent each, effective from the date of this decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for degenerative arthritis of his right little finger and an initial compensable rating for his scar on his right little finger. The evidence did not support higher ratings under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied service connection for thoracolumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, and right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome. The appellant's preexisting scoliosis was found to have clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service and not been aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is proximately due to his service-connected left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with osteoarthritis, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for osteoarthritis of the lower back, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.