Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board has remanded this issue for further development. The issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure secondary to service-connected lumbar spine degenerative arthritis are also being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, bilateral pes planus, Barlow syndrome, and sinusitis. Service connection was reopened based on new evidence received since the prior denial.

The Veteran's right ankle tendonitis and degenerative arthritis are currently rated at 20 percent effective November 29, 2018.,The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a rating higher than 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc syndrome due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine with spinal stenosis and foraminal stenosis, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment starting from September 19, 2020. The Board granted a TDIU rating effective as of that date.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of bilateral hands, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis, finding that his current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied in a February 2019 rating decision. The appeal was improperly docketed and dismissed due to non-compliance with essential claims-processing rules.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disorder, diagnosed as cervical spine degenerative arthritis, on a presumptive basis due to continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim due to inadequate medical opinions and inextricability with another pending claim.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection to left knee degenerative arthritis has been dismissed due to the appellant (Veteran) withdrawing their appeal.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request for readjudication of his service connection claims for eczema, right knee osteoarthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The AOJ is now required to address these claims on their merits.

The Board has determined that the AOJ did not obtain all relevant evidence prior to the September 2020 rating decision, and thus remands are necessary for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for spinal stenosis and degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as these conditions are not related to the Veteran's military service.,The Board also denied service connection for a brain injury with memory issues (brain injury) and balance problems.

The Veteran's neck disability was rated at 10 percent from March 17, 2001, and the Board finds that a rating more than 10 percent is not warranted for this period.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on all five claims have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal in June 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 25, 2015. The Board finds that an effective date of March 11, 2017 is warranted for the grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for an award of SMC at the housebound rate.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the service connection for degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease other than IVDS, and lumbosacral strain. As a result, the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits are granted from August 25, 2008. The effective date for TDIU is established based on the earliest claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, while the effective date for DEA benefits is set to match the TDIU grant.