Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to readjudicate his claims of service connection for left and right knee joint osteoarthritis. However, due to new evidence received since the last denial, the claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has denied all service connection claims for various hip, knee, and back conditions as well as hypertension. The Veteran's current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of evidence showing a current disability during or immediately prior to the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist, left knee, and right hip conditions have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnoses are presumptively related to his active service due to exposure to burn pits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for his psychiatric condition, degenerative arthritis of the spine, and right hip replacement have been denied as a matter of law due to failure to respond to VA efforts in scheduling necessary medical examinations.

The Veteran is granted a clothing allowance for the year 2022 due to the use of his bilateral knee and lumbar spine braces, which caused wear and tear on his clothing.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including restrictive lung disease, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, left wrist strain with degenerative arthritis, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and residual of right ear otitis media, have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable during the period from August 27, 2003 to August 21, 2014. The Board found that he was capable of performing sedentary work with a sit/stand accommodation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for her service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations. The AOJ should consider separate ratings for any associated neurological conditions.

The Veteran's knee disabilities have been remanded for further evaluation due to the severity of his symptoms and limitations.

The reduction of the disability rating for spinal stenosis with disc protrusion, degenerative arthritis, and lumbosacral strain from 20 percent to 10 percent was improper as there is no sustained improvement in the Veteran's condition that would be reasonably maintained under ordinary conditions.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is granted service connection. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis, subluxation status post meniscectomy, and scars are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and right ankle disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for left knee surgery, a compensable rating for ACL tear and osteoarthritis with instability, and TDIU from June 7, 2016. The additional evidence received since the February 2024 Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) must be considered.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability and other disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU. Prior to May 18, 2022, he was also granted SMC at the housebound rate.

The Board has decided the claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and remanded the issue of service connection for hypertension. The hypertension claim is now pending again, requiring further examination and analysis.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and missing service records. The Veteran's claim for service connection is now before the Board again.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder, including degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease, spondylosis, and stenosis, is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it was caused by or aggravated by service-connected left shoulder dislocation.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on functional loss or incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, sciatic radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity have all been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions render him in need of aid and attendance, allowing for SMC at the (l) level based on his condition.