Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, including instability, are rated at 20 percent each since October 13, 2020. The Veteran is not entitled to higher ratings for these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including whether they are related to her military service. The claims for service connection will be remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is granted as service connected. The claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to exposure to toxins at Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied service connection for left hip degenerative arthritis and PTSD, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to service or a current disability.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating.,Service connection for a cervical spine condition and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy due to that condition are granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left shoulder disability was denied as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis, fibrous union, nonunion or loss of head of the humerus. The highest possible rating under current regulations is 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to preexisting bilateral hearing loss and low back pain syndrome, as there were issues with the validity of the 1969 audiogram and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has restored the original ratings of 30 percent for both right and left knee disabilities, finding that there was no actual improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), finding that it was incurred during active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee and back conditions due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is entitled to a new examination to determine if his current conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hand degenerative arthritis, finding that the evidence is in equipoise and thus favoring the Veteran's claim. The decision was based on the Veteran's reported work duties during military service as a warehouse supply handler.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left hip, right knee, and left knee disorders due to deficiencies in medical opinions and a need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has found pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors in the Veteran's case and requires VA examinations to be conducted. The claims for an increased disability rating for his service-connected right knee disability and TDIU are both REMANDED.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that a higher rating was not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The right knee disability and acquired psychiatric disorder claims are being reviewed again, with requests for additional medical records and an examination.

The Board has remanded the evaluations for left and right shoulder osteoarthritis, as well as the evaluation of left knee osteoarthritis. The effective dates remain pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of July 18, 2013, for the grant of entitlement to a TDIU is granted. The Board found that the Veteran was unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities since at least July 2014.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for each of the Veteran's hip strains, limitation of flexion, effective March 19, 2020.

The Veteran's left knee and right shoulder disabilities are granted service connection, while his sleep apnea is denied. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is granted with an effective date of August 16, 2020.