Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and right knee strain due to a duty to assist error. Additional development is needed, including obtaining a supplemental VA opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including major depressive disorder with anxious distress and mild neurocognitive disorder, migraines, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis and lumbosacral strain (sciatica), right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right hip degenerative arthritis, and left hip degenerative arthritis have been denied. The decision does not address service connection for specific conditions like obstructive sleep apnea, gout, or diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's back disability is related to service, including repetitive strain during service.

The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for lumbar spondylosis with multilevel disc bulge, degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome, and stenosis, status post-dislocation of the coccyx (back disability), and a 10 percent rating for sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity effective April 12, 2016.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inadequate notification of scheduled VA examinations and failure to obtain all relevant private treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed as he withdrew his claim for an effective date prior to March 20, 2008, for the grant of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with osteoarthritis and right hemilaminectomy and discectomy. The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, the minimum compensable rating. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or other factors.

The Board has remanded the claims for left knee, right knee, and right ankle conditions due to a lack of medical nexus opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service records are also requested as part of the remand.

The Board found that the Veteran's remaining service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the denial of his appeal for restoration of TDIU.

The Board dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection of back disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and lumbar spine surgical scar as they were not final decisions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis. These conditions are deemed to be related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right and left knee total arthroplasties, as well as his degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, were denied. The Board found that the current assigned disability ratings adequately reflected the functional impairment caused by these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, vertigo, and pneumonia are denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis, claimed as secondary to bilateral pes planus, is denied.,Service connection for bilateral pes planus is also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and IVDS, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion.

The appeal is granted as the Veteran's initial 40 percent rating for service-connected lumbar spine disability is restored. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and other procedural errors.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II was dismissed. The appeals for right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were denied. The appeal for right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain with degenerative arthritis was also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for further development due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors and inadequate VA opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for further development due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors and inadequate VA opinions. The Veteran's hip, knee, and lower back disabilities are being reviewed again with new medical opinions considering his service history.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder, sciatic nerve disorder as secondary to the service-connected low back disability, and headache disorder.,The Veteran's current low back and sciatic nerve disorders are found to be related to his military service.