Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need to obtain information about the qualifications of the examiners who provided medical opinions related to his degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine.

The Veteran's left hip disability is granted as service-connected, and he is also entitled to a temporary total evaluation following his September 2018 surgery.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous remand directives, including a need for new and adequate examinations of the appellant's left thigh disability.

The Veteran's claim for a cervical spine disorder was reopened and granted service connection effective December 17, 2010. He is currently rated at 30 percent for his cervical spine disability.,Service connection for left upper extremity radiculopathy was also granted effective December 17, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for multiple myeloma was denied as the condition is asymptomatic.,Claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and cervical spine disorder based on CUE were also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis and DDD of the lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and a right hip condition are all granted. The case is remanded for further examination to determine the nature and etiology of the right hip condition.

The Board has decided to remand two claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities due to a lack of adequate medical opinions and the need for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment, and the Board denies her claim for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, or right knee condition.,For his left hip conditions, he was granted a 10 percent rating for limitation of extension and no other ratings were granted. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his generalized anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral flat feet and degenerative arthritis, as well as osteoarthritis of the left and right ankles, have been dismissed due to his request for withdrawal.

The Veteran's ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis and degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome were improperly reduced. The original ratings have been reinstated.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development due to duty-to-assist errors in providing VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, which is currently rated at 20 percent, has been restored to its previous rating of 20 percent. The claim for a higher rating remains pending and requires further examination.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as he withdrew all issues associated with the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a more comprehensive VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected low back disability, including any flare-ups and their impact on function.

The Board has found a duty to assist error due to the Veteran's cancellation of VA examinations and remands the cases for further development, including scheduling new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to address whether the Veteran's cervical spine disorder is related to his military service, including any in-service injuries or events.

The Veteran's initial rating for degenerative arthritis and right knee strain was denied, but the rating was changed to a higher evaluation of 10 percent since August 24, 2023.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating. The ratings for right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, left lower extremity sciatic nerve radulopathy, and left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy are also denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) were granted initial disability ratings. The lumbar spine was rated at 40 percent from October 11, 2016 to February 22, 2018. The right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) received a higher rating of 20 percent from February 22, 2018.