Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Board has found that the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee is remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including failure to consider all relevant evidence and obtain a fully adequate VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone did not result in unemployability during the period on appeal, as he was able to maintain marginal employment.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for hypertension is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability, including lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis, stenosis, and nerve root impingement, is related to his military service. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether this condition was caused by an injury during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his lumbosacral strain, IVDS, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, left shoulder impingement syndrome, and left leg radiculopathy are remanded due to inadequate prior VA examinations. The Veteran needs new and adequate examinations to assess the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his disability ratings of degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine are being remanded due to a duty to assist error regarding the ameliorative effects of medication on his condition.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of various conditions, including right foot degenerative arthritis and related issues. The appellant requested withdrawal of his appeals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder and insomnia are related to service, but has found insufficient evidence for a left knee disorder. The case is REMANDED to obtain an examination and opinion regarding the etiology of any diagnosed left knee disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to duty-to-assist errors that occurred prior to the March 2021 rating decision on appeal. Specifically, VA did not obtain all reasonably identified private treatment records and SSA records.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for fibromyalgia was denied, and her TDIU was granted with an effective date of July 28, 2015. The decision is based on the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted. The Board also remanded the claims for increased disability ratings for cervical strain and degenerative arthritis, left shoulder traumatic rotator cuff lesion residuals, right knee arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, chronic bronchitis, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and tinnitus have been dismissed as both conditions were granted in a subsequent rating decision.

The Veteran's residuals of prostate cancer are rated at a 20 percent rating effective February 28, 2023. The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis post TKR is rated at 30 percent and remains unchanged.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to procedural errors in the initial decision. The right hip claim is denied, while sinusitis, rhinitis, heart condition (CAD), and bilateral shoulder conditions require further examination and analysis.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee disability and lumbar spine disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis, based on a private medical opinion that supports an altered gait and posture theory.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a scar of the forehead have been granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for left knee and right ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's radiculopathy, lower extremity, right and left, is granted an increased rating of 20 percent from November 10, 2019.,The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine is granted an increased rating of 20 percent from November 10, 2019.

The Veteran seeks service connection for left and right hip disabilities, diagnosed as left hip osteoarthritis and right hip osteoarthritis. He asserts that his hip disabilities are the result of or have been aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative arthritis. The Board has remanded the claims due to a failure to address aggravation in the May 2019 VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis is granted. The Board also granted a non-compensable initial rating for GERD and a 30 percent rating, but no higher, for allergic rhinitis since November 12, 2019.

The Veteran's right hip disability is rated at 90 percent effective October 6, 2009. The left knee and left knee instability are each rated at 20 percent effective October 6, 2009. TDIU and SMC benefits are granted effective October 6, 2009.