Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of appropriate examinations and documentation regarding attempts to conduct those examinations. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, left knee disability, left hip disability, and spine disability.

The Veteran's thoracic spine strain with degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has remanded this issue.,The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral syndrome is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has also remanded this issue. The Board has also remanded claims for service connection for left knee disability and neck disability.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for left and right hip osteoarthritis were dismissed due to a procedural defect, as the Veteran did not file a VA Form 9 in the legacy review system or properly opt into the modernized review system.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee condition and a right shoulder condition, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are linked to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and rating consideration due to incomplete or unclear information regarding the Veteran's range of motion.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions provided for the Veteran's bilateral feet, left ankle, left hip, and lumbar spine were inadequate. The claims are being remanded to obtain a new and adequate VA opinion to determine whether these disabilities were caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for hearing loss was dismissed.,Service connection for sleep apnea, left ankle gout, right ankle gout, left foot gout, and right foot gout were granted as secondary to hypertension.,Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine was granted as secondary to residual fracture of the left ankle and bilateral knee degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran is seeking earlier effective dates for various service-connected conditions, but the Board finds that no such effective dates are warranted based on the evidence of record.,For his back disability, the Veteran seeks an earlier effective date due to CUE in a March 2012 rating decision. The Board found no clear and unmistakable error.

The Board has restored a 30 percent rating for osteoarthritis of the left knee, including the fracture of the left tibial plateau, effective July 1, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for degenerative arthritis of the cervical and lumbar spine with IVDS, as well as radiculopathy in multiple extremities, have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation based on the severity of his disabilities.,The Veteran was granted 30 percent, 40 percent, and 20 percent evaluations for middle radicular group radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, right upper extremity, and lower extremities respectively. However, these evaluations are still denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as a right knee disability. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities are rated at the maximum allowed under current criteria. The appeal for higher ratings is denied.

The Veteran's right foot condition, characterized by a nondisplaced fracture of the cuboid with degenerative arthritis, is rated at 30 percent since January 24, 2020.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and left knee osteoarthritis, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to his active-duty service.

The Board denied service connection for multiple thigh, shoulder, and elbow disabilities, as well as a left elbow scar, based on the lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's in-service injury.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic sinusitis with headaches, reactive airway disease, right foot hallux rigidus, right foot arthritis, bilateral hand degenerative arthritis, and bilateral shoulder tendonitis and arthritis as these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, but denied service connection for hiatal hernia, inguinal hernia, stomach ulcer, acid reflux, and hypertension.,Service connection was established for right and left knee disabilities due to in-service parachute jumps.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted since the January 2019 rating decision, which suggests that the Veteran's PTSD significantly worsened and now requires regular aid and attendance.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, finding no evidence of a current disability related to service.,The Board also denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, concluding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and sleep apnea were not shown as chronic in service or within the applicable presumptive period. The evidence does not establish continuity of symptomatology for these conditions.,The Veteran's hand or finger disability was not related to his service.