Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial compensable ratings have been remanded due to her failure to attend scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain additional information regarding the severity of his left knee disability and hip disabilities, as well as to determine if service connection can be established for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is considered secondary to his service-connected adjustment disorder, sinusitis, degenerative arthritis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine and lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted with increased ratings, but further evaluation is needed to determine appropriate periods of convalescence following his back surgery.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating of his right shoulder disability before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee conditions are being remanded due to pre-decisional errors and the need for additional medical examination.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's disability was caused by his service-connected hip and knee conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to lumbar degenerative disc, degenerative arthritis of the spine due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with an examination and addendum opinion.

The Board has granted effective dates of December 26, 2019 for the awards of service connection for right and left upper extremity radiculopathy. The appeal is denied as there is no evidence of a claim prior to December 26, 2019 for cervical spine degenerative arthritis with IVDS.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome cervical spine, degenerative arthritis and related issues are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,Specifically, the Board is requesting an opinion on whether the Veteran's cervical spine condition was aggravated by his service-connected low back disorder.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected right hip disabilities are being remanded due to the need for a new medical examination and consideration of the relevant evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right shoulder, glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis as secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral spine disabilities including intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease. The Board found no medical evidence linking the Veteran's diagnosed conditions to his service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent from June 16, 2021 to February 15, 2022. From February 16, 2022 to March 7, 2022, the rating remains at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were previously decided in a September 2021 rating decision, appealed to the Board in November 2021, and adjudicated by the Board in an October 29, 2024, decision. The appeal of these issues is dismissed.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for neck disability (degenerative arthritis of the spine), right knee condition, right foot plantar fasciitis, left foot plantar fasciitis, and left shoulder disability are denied.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are rated under the criteria for limitation of flexion due to arthritis. The evidence does not warrant ratings higher than 10 percent, as the range of motion is most severely limited at 0 degrees of extension and 100 degrees of flexion with pain on examination.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis is granted a 40% rating, but no higher. The ratings for left hip strain (limitation of flexion) and right hip strain (limitation of extension) are denied. Right lateral collateral ligament sprain remains remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip osteoarthritis and left hip osteoarthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left ankle sprain.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine condition, finding the evidence did not support a link to active service.,For left hip osteoarthritis with sacroiliitis, the Veteran was granted a noncompensable rating. The Board found that her flexion limitation did not meet or exceed 45 degrees.