Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings were dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's appeal challenging the proposed rating reduction from 70 percent to 30 percent for service-connected chronic adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is dismissed. The claim of entitlement to a disability rating greater than 60 percent effective from July 22, 2020, for status-post right total knee replacement with osteoarthritis is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on housebound status, as he is able to leave his home for medical appointments and grocery shopping.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip avascular necrosis and degenerative arthritis, as well as increased ratings for his left knee condition.,The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's hip or knee conditions were related to his military service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for readjudicating service connection claims for various conditions, as the underlying merits of these claims have already been adjudicated by the AOJ and the appeal is moot due to finality or lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his left hip disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under any relevant diagnostic codes.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability and denied an increased rating for the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability. The left ankle sprain is found to be related to service, while the back disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for restoration of a 20% disability rating for his low back disability was granted. However, the appeal for a higher than 20% disability rating was denied.

The Veteran's left hip disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome.,Obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome and cervical spine degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the conditions began during service as a farrier.

The Board grants an effective date of February 18, 2009, for the grant of service connection for cervical degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome (previously claimed as a degenerative neck from jumping) and LUE radiculopathy.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as she withdrew her appeals for right C8-T1 motor radiculopathy and cervical strain with degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee condition, right ankle condition, and radiculopathy, right lower extremity associated with lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome caused or aggravated the claimed conditions of left hip strain with osteoarthritis with small acetabular osteophytes, right hip strain with osteoarthritis with small acetubular osteophytes, left knee Hodgkins Schlatter disease with pain, and calcaneal spur, left ankle pain.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability was granted as secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle, left ankle, right knee, and left knee disabilities have been rated at 10 percent each since June 17, 2020. The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the ratings and service connection for various knee conditions, nerve damage, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine, intervertebral disc syndrome and degenerative disc disease, migraines, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, and corneal scar, right eye (right eye disability) have been denied.,The earliest effective dates available under the applicable law for these awards are February 11, 2019, for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine, intervertebral disc syndrome and degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy of the right and left upper extremities, and migraine headaches; January 22, 2014, for corneal scar, right eye (right eye disability).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Veteran is not entitled to a rating in excess of 10 percent for his degenerative arthritis with IVDS status-post repair of the thoracolumbar spine, and he does not meet the criteria for service connection for a left knee disorder.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 10 percent, but the Board found no evidence of limitation to less than 60 degrees of forward flexion or combined range of motion less than 120 degrees. The right hip/femur disabilities were separately rated as 20 and 10 percent.,The Veteran's right knee strain was not evaluated for a higher rating, and the right hip scar did not meet criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for hyperlipidemia, right-hand and left-hand osteoarthritis, and gastrointestinal disability due to herbicide exposure. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service or service-connected disabilities.