Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disability, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis has been granted. The Board found that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability is at least as likely as not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left knee has been dismissed due to his request for withdrawal.

The Board has found the evidence inadequate to determine if the Veteran's back and left shoulder disabilities are related to his active-duty service, requiring further examination and consideration of additional medical records.

The Veteran's bilateral knee degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has denied increased ratings for both knees.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and low back disorder, finding that there is a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar spine, left knee injury pain, and right knee osteoarthritis with meniscal tear.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including total abdominal hysterectomy, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, bilateral plantar fasciitis, chronic depressive disorder, right and left ankle tendonitis, bilateral Morton's neuroma, hallux valgus right foot, and hallux valgus left foot, have rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the evidence of record.

The Board denied service connection for a left elbow condition, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of chronic left elbow problems during or after active duty service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased disability rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis. The claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities are remanded due to a lack of a VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral knee conditions are rated as denied, with the right knee receiving a higher rating than the left.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral foot disability, finding that there was no evidence of chronic conditions in service or within presumptive periods. The Board also found that any current disabilities were not related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lower back condition, but remanded the issues of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with MDD, service connection for cervical spine condition, and TDIU due to lack of recent medical records and outdated examination reports.,Further, the Board found that there is at least an approximate balance of evidence regarding whether the Veteran's lower back condition is related to his active-duty service.

The Veteran's left knee instability is granted a separate initial disability rating of 10 percent from September 13, 2010, through December 1, 2011. However, the combined rating for disabilities of an extremity cannot exceed the rating for amputation at the elective level due to the 'amputation rule', thus preventing any higher ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine on an extraschedular basis was denied. The Board found that the disability picture is adequately described by the existing schedular criteria, and thus, no extraschedular evaluation was warranted. Additionally, the Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities from June 1, 2022, was granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and lack of medical evidence supporting the Veteran's assertions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability was granted a 70 percent rating as of April 2, 2019. The right knee instability and limitation of flexion were both granted the maximum allowable ratings (20% and 10%, respectively). However, the left knee osteoarthritis did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's sleep disturbances, specifically whether they are related to his service-connected bilateral knee disability or any environmental exposures in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's low back disorder, diagnosed as degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine with spine hemangioma, is granted service connection.,The Veteran's left knee disorder, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, is granted service connection. The right knee disorder resulting in total knee replacement is also granted service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle disability and a thoracolumbar spine disability. The right ankle sprain is considered presumptively incurred in service, while the thoracolumbar spine condition is presumed to have existed prior to service.,Both conditions are now recognized as being related to military service.