Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened, but further examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of his left knee and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from January 14, 2013 to January 5, 2017. The Board has granted TDIU for this period.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar degenerative arthritis and urinary frequency disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar degenerative arthritis and thoracic scoliosis.

The Veteran's initial rating claims for various wrist, shoulder, ankle, hip, and knee disabilities have been dismissed. Service connection has been granted for chronic rhinitis under the PACT Act presumption of exposure to burn pits.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his postoperative hernia repair scar and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis. The case is being remanded to consider additional evidence added since the January 2023 Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, sleep apnea, and knee conditions, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease have prevented him from engaging in substantially gainful employment since October 7, 2009. The Board has granted an effective date of October 7, 2009 for his total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune, as these conditions are not eligible for presumptive service connection based on service at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran is entitled to a new TERA examination to determine if there is an association between his claimed conditions and his toxic exposure risk activity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives regarding radiation exposure. The case is being returned to the Jackson Regional Office for further action.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right shoulder disability, including strain, tendonitis, and osteoarthritis, did not have its onset during active service or within one year of separation. The evidence does not support a finding that the condition was incurred in service.

The Board has determined that additional records are needed from the Veteran's federal disability retirement and VA treatment providers to properly adjudicate his claims. The cases are being remanded for these purposes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and degenerative arthritis, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease that led to these conditions. The Board also found no secondary service connection due to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran is granted a 60 percent rating for left total knee replacement with history of degenerative arthritis, effective November 1, 2016.,The Veteran is also granted entitlement to TDIU based on his service-connected left knee disability, effective November 1, 2016.

The Veteran's back disability has been rated at 10 percent since June 2, 2016. The Board granted restoration of the 20 percent rating for his service-connected back disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral shin splints and right knee osteoarthritis with Baker's cyst, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease that caused the current disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral wrist and right ankle disabilities due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The Veteran is presumed competent to report her symptoms, but the prior examinations did not consider her lay statements or medical history.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is related to his service-connected left tibia osteoma or if it developed from aging. The examiner needs to provide an opinion on both causation and aggravation.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for bilateral knee pain, right great toe pain, and tinnitus due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives regarding scheduling new examinations and obtaining Social Security Administration records.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's diagnosed degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that there is credible and competent evidence of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, finding no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that caused the current condition.