Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and service connection claims have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's right-hand disability and dental condition are denied. The Board has remanded the dental condition for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his left and right knee degenerative arthritis have been denied by the Board, as both knees currently meet the criteria for a 10 percent evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is related to the Veteran's service-connected anxiety and depressive disorder, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's left ankle tendonitis with osteoarthritis, GERD, and eczema have been granted increased ratings. The left ankle disability is rated at 20 percent, the GERD at 30 percent, and the eczema remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and lumbar facet arthropathy with degenerative arthritis are being remanded due to a duty to assist error in failing to obtain an adequate examination prior to the June 2023 rating decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right hand degenerative arthritis, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current conditions and service. The Board also found no new and relevant evidence to warrant readjudication of the claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's request to readjudicate the claim for service connection for his right knee condition is granted. The Board has identified two duty to assist errors and finds sufficient evidence to readjudicate the Veteran's claim, but remands the case due to inadequate VA examinations and incomplete service treatment records.

The Veteran's low back disability, including SI joint dysfunction and mild arthritic changes in the thoracic spine, ankylosing spondylitis, and degenerative arthritis of the spine, is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding its onset during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has not been rated higher than noncompensable.,The Veteran's right knee joint osteoarthritis with limited flexion does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were denied as there was no new and relevant evidence presented to support the claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and spinal stenosis as there is no persuasive evidence that these conditions began in service or are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented her from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment since May 20, 2017. Her TDIU claim is granted with an effective date of May 20, 2017.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis of the left shoulder as due to a service-connected left knee disability, finding that his unsupported lay statements concerning a post-service fall down the stairs in 1996 resulting in a left shoulder injury are not credible and do not establish an etiological link between his service-connected left knee disability and glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis of the left shoulder.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for increased ratings of left and right lower extremity radiculopathies, as well as a higher rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis prior to December 12, 2015.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was also REMANDED.

The Veteran's right shoulder ACL joint osteoarthritis and left shoulder strain have been granted increased ratings of 40% and 30%, respectively, effective March 9, 2020. The Veteran is also now eligible for a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxious distress is rated at 70 percent, effective from December 23, 2021. The Board also granted entitlement to a TDIU based on the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine due to a lack of adequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability was caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and failure to obtain necessary evidence. The Veteran's service connection claim for low back disability is pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a prior VA examination not being adequate, and it is unclear if the Veteran's cervical spine disability was incurred in service.