Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, finding that his current condition is related to a fall in service and establishing continuity of symptoms since discharge.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to untimely submission of the VA Form 10182. The claims of chest pain and right shoulder condition are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of adequate examination regarding the Veteran's left knee disability, specifically missing range of motion assessments and failure to address functional impairment during flare-ups.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and scoliosis as well as right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve were denied. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error and to obtain additional examination findings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical spine disability and right upper extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error in the prior rating decisions. The Board is unable to assess the severity of these conditions without additional examinations.

The Veteran's appeal involves the need for a higher rating in excess of 20 percent for various service-connected conditions including cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, as well as bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathies. The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his right hip osteoarthritis are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and clarification of the effective dates and diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's initial ratings for thoracolumbar spine scoliosis with osteoarthritis and left shoulder bursitis prior to June 21, 2023 were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Veteran's ankle surgeries and degenerative arthritis have been granted temporary total disability ratings, a 20% evaluation for residuals of the surgeries, and denied higher evaluations for his degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to October 28, 2022 is remanded due to the need for additional development and referral to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service connection for left knee chondromalacia resulting in osteoarthritis, sinusitis, anosmia, and eczema has been granted with effective dates of July 31, 2015.,An earlier effective date than March 23, 2017 is granted for the reduction in rating for hypothyroidism.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and lumbosacral strain as the evidence did not show a nexus to service or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's back disabilities, including ankylosing spondylitis and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome, are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's migraines are also granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for service-connected lumbar degenerative arthritis and headaches prior to specific dates were denied.,For the period before August 10, 2022, the Veteran's lumbar degenerative arthritis was rated at 10%.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had their onset in service.

The Veteran's initial rating for lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy is denied. The Veteran's back condition has been rated at 10 percent since June 30, 2017.

The Veteran's bilateral hip degenerative arthritis with limitation of extension and flexion disabilities have been rated under the appropriate VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. A 10 percent rating, but not higher, is granted for each hip extension.,A 20 percent rating, but not higher, is granted for limitation of flexion in the left hip.