Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and post-operative left shoulder arthroplasty with rotator cuff repair are granted. The appeals for higher ratings for asthma, a disability of the right little finger, and a disability of the left fourth toe are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral foot disabilities due to outdated VA examinations and a need for new evaluations.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding increased ratings and effective dates for various conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea, degenerative arthritis of the spine, GERD, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, hypertension, vitiligo, tinnitus, anal fissures, a jaw disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The appeals are dismissed.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection of right knee instability and right knee osteoarthritis/degenerative arthritis with iliotibial band syndrome, finding that the correct facts were before them and no CUE was established.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss in either ear for VA purposes.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with degenerative arthritis have also been denied, as the evidence does not show that his symptoms are more limiting than contemplated by the current 20% ratings.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU has been remanded due to inadequate notice and development.

The Board has remanded several claims related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity. The claims are being returned for further development to obtain necessary medical records and ensure proper consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a new VA examination to determine if his degenerative arthritis of the spine is related to service, considering his lay statements and December 1996 VA treatment records.

The Veteran's psoriatic arthritis has been granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected psoriasis. The issue of entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis with painful flexion and limited extension, as well as his right knee instability, was partially granted. The Veteran received an increased 30 percent rating for the condition from January 25, 2023, but his claims for increased ratings in excess of 10 percent for painful flexion and prior to that date were denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis, lumbar spondylosis and radiculopathy, left lower extremity due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The ratings for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities are restored from August 3, 2023, but a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative spondylosis, L5-S1, remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and he is now entitled to benefits for various conditions.,Issues related to the rating of disabilities are also addressed in this decision.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of right wrist injury, infiltrative keratitis of the left eye, and chronic bronchitis due to lack of evidence showing a current disability or etiology related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding of current left ear hearing loss or a causal relationship between right ear hearing loss and in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a right shoulder disability resulting from a February 2018 shoulder surgery is dismissed because his service connection for the same condition has already been granted. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for left ear hearing loss due to inadequate examination.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and a higher rating for radiculopathy, RLE, as service connection for these conditions have been severed.

The Veteran's claims for right knee replacement, left hip replacement, and degenerative arthritis of the spine have been reopened. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limited range of motion or other criteria.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for GERD, right knee disability, and left knee disability are remanded due to evidence of potentially worsening symptoms.