Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease, right shin splint, and left shin splint as they were improperly docketed in the Direct Review docket. The issues will be adjudicated in a separate Hearing Lane decision.

The Board has determined that the AOJ made errors in their duty to assist and remanded the case for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD warrants a rating in excess of 70 percent, but the Board found that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions, as well as his acquired psychiatric disability. The AOJ did not provide a VA examination or opinion in these cases prior to making its decisions.

The Veteran is granted a 20 percent disability rating for his right knee meniscal tear and degenerative arthritis from June 27, 2016 to October 30, 2019.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for the right knee disability from October 31, 2019 is denied.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the Veteran's service connection claims due to a failure to file proper appeal forms within one year of final denial.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, and if so, whether it would have occurred without the aggravation.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on several knee and lower extremity conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective February 16, 2018, due to her service-connected disabilities preventing her from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA medical examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back condition. The examiner's opinion is found to be insufficient and requires further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a back condition is being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his acquired psychiatric condition is being remanded as the proper effective date is based on when the condition arose, not when he filed his initial claim.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left ankle fracture with degenerative arthritis are granted. The right ankle disability claim is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it began during service.,Service connection for a left elbow disorder is denied due to lack of evidence.

An effective date of December 8, 2009 is granted for the grant of service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine.,An effective date of December 5, 2017 is granted for the grant of service connection for sciatica of right lower extremity.,No earlier effective date is granted for the grant of service connection for sciatica of left lower extremity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of right shoulder, left hip, or right knee disabilities. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple claims for service connection, including cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, headaches, ear, nose and throat (ENT) disability, hypertension, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities. The Board has determined that further development is needed to obtain relevant medical records and seek expert opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis is related to her service-connected right total knee arthroplasty residuals, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis and degenerative arthritis of the back have been granted service connection.,An increased rating for left wrist strain is denied.

Service connection is granted for left knee degenerative arthritis and instability. Service connection for right knee condition, as secondary to the left knee disability, is remanded.

The Board has found that the VA Regional Office (RO) committed pre-decisional duty to assist errors and requires remand for obtaining private medical records related to the Veteran's right knee and hip surgeries, as well as an addendum opinion regarding whether these disabilities are aggravated by her service-connected lower back disability.