Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

Effective dates for service connection granted for right hip osteoarthritis and right knee degenerative arthritis have been set as of July 12, 2018. The Veteran's claim was reopened on new evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left and right knee disabilities due to insufficient examination reports addressing flare-ups of symptoms. The Veteran's current disability ratings are denied as there is no evidence of a right shoulder disability related to active service, and his left and right knee disabilities do not warrant higher ratings.

The Board has restored the 30 percent rating for limitation of flexion/extension, left knee osteoarthritis due to a reduction in rating from 30 to 10 percent being improper.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claim for a temporary total evaluation (100 percent) for left foot surgery. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot condition, left ankle condition, and right foot condition. Service connection was denied for a right ankle condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and generalized osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's specific phobia, situational tight spaces, is not productive of occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The right thumb arthritis does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis with meniscal tear is granted a separate 20% rating, while his other conditions remain at the maximum schedular ratings. The GERD claim was denied and service connection for a cervical spine condition is remanded.

The Veteran's pancreatitis status post cholecystectomy is rated at a 30 percent disability rating since December 31, 2013.,The claims for increased ratings of right lower extremity radiculopathy and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with IVDS are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection on the left shoulder, cervical spine, right wrist, and TBI have been denied.,The May 2021 rating decision was found to contain CUE in assigning initial ratings of 20% for carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist and elbow, as well as for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection on right knee chondromalacia, right foot osteoarthritis, and a left foot condition due to untimely filing of VA Form 10182.

The Veteran's left knee meniscal tear with degenerative arthritis, status post partial replacement surgery, has been rated at 10 percent since the initial grant of service connection. The current rating is denied as it does not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Veteran's left hip femoral acetabular impingement syndrome with osteoarthritis was reduced from a 10% rating to a non-compensable rating effective November 3, 2020. The reduction is void ab initio due to improper procedural requirements.,The Veteran's right hip strain does not meet the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 10%. Her current ratings are appropriate.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates prior to December 31, 2013 were denied as there was no evidence of an informal or formal claim filed before that date.

The Veteran's lumbar spine and right knee disabilities have been granted service connection.,A compensable rating for bilateral tinea pedis prior to April 15, 2016 has been denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine and pilonidal cyst are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis was granted a 40 percent rating from February 5, 2010 to October 2, 2014. From October 2, 2014 to May 19, 2015, the Veteran's disability remained at 40 percent. However, from July 1, 2015 onwards, a higher rating was denied.

The Board denied service connection for right knee and bilateral shoulder disabilities, finding that the current conditions did not have their onset during or as a result of active military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 40 percent for his back disorder was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine or unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine, which is required for a higher evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine and bilateral knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis was denied, and his claim for service connection for a foot disorder was also denied.