Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent for limitation of flexion, and a separate 10 percent rating has been granted for instability. The right knee and ankle disabilities are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service. The Veteran's STRs show a history of low back pain during service, and he provided lay statements about noise exposure in service. He also had a private medical opinion linking his current conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to a duty to assist error and further development is required.

The Veteran's left knee disability, characterized by meniscal and ACL tear with osteoarthritis, is rated at 10 percent for limitation of flexion. A separate 10 percent rating is granted for painful extension. The Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating.

The Board has denied service connection for left knee condition and right knee condition. The gastrointestinal disorders claim (abdominal pain and gastritis) is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine with thoracic and lumbar strain is currently rated at 20 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his range of motion is sufficient to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has denied service connection for a left hand disability, right ear hearing loss, and several other conditions. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have also been denied.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's disability did not begin in service or was otherwise related to his active duty.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues related to service connection and evaluation of various conditions, including liver dysfunction, right hip condition, bilateral lower extremities, first degree AV block, patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative arthritis, status post right ankle fibula fracture, migraine headaches, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, left knee osteoarthritis, and hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, hypertension, shoulder conditions, and migraines, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from February 4, 2020 to November 18, 2021.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip degenerative arthritis as a chronic disease that manifested within one year of discharge from active duty due to continuity of symptoms since.

The Veteran's right ankle disability and instability are granted, but the rating for his degenerative arthritis is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The issues are related to thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative arthritis, right knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative arthritis, and left and right ankle sprain are all granted. The effective dates for these ratings have not been specified.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of lumbosacral spine and IVDS is granted with an effective date of June 27, 2018.

The claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis, hepatitis B, osteoarthritis with avascular necrosis left hip, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy left lower extremity are all denied as new and relevant evidence has not been submitted to support the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his left knee disability, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of VA treatment records and an incomplete medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee arthritis.

The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability is granted as secondary to service-connected pulmonary sarcoidosis. The claims for a higher rating on his left knee disability and service connection for his bilateral foot disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for patellofemoral syndrome and degenerative arthritis of the left knee were denied. The Board found that the current disability picture did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.