Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for further development to ensure compliance with prior remand directives and VA's duty to assist.

The appeal for service connection of migraine headaches is dismissed. The case for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, including IVDS with scoliosis, is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is no longer on appeal due to service connection being awarded. The case is now remanded for further development and readjudication.

The Veteran's PTSD claim was dismissed as the April 2020 rating decision did not constitute a final appealable decision.,Service connection for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder with recurrent, moderate MDD (previously insomnia disorder) was granted with an effective date of March 28, 2024.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds no evidence of ankylosis or other disabling conditions warranting a higher rating.,Both lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities are currently rated at 20 percent. The Board does not find any additional impairment that would justify a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for back and left knee disabilities due to inadequate examination reports. A new examination is required to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, but no higher. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left and right lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy, bowel incontinence, and bladder incontinence due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's RLE neuropathy is granted a 30 percent rating, but no higher. The Veteran's plantar fasciitis with osteoarthritis is denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hip disabilities and a post-surgical right hip scar, finding that the Veteran's congenital hip conditions were aggravated by his active service.

The Veteran is granted a 20 percent rating for sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the right lower extremity.,The Veteran is granted a 20 percent rating for sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability remains at a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's initial rating for a lumbar spine disability is denied, but he receives an initial rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy.

Service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, and left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis has been granted.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spinal stenosis and IVDS is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a recurrent right ankle disability, including injury residuals, lateral collateral ligament sprain, and osteoarthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional verification of his National Guard service records.

The Board dismissed the service connection claims for depression, anxiety, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, kidney condition, osteoarthritis, and right knee condition due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these issues during his hearing. The claim for hypertension was granted with a PACT Act presumption.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the disability rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis from 20 percent to 10 percent, effective November 18, 2021, was improper and has restored the prior 20 percent disability rating. The Veteran's appeal also includes a remanded issue regarding entitlement to an increased disability rating for GAD.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis in both the right and left hands, finding that there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding whether the Veteran incurred these conditions during his military service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied because the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities, not a single disability, prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or continuity of symptoms from service.,Service connection for osteoarthritis, right knee, is denied due to lack of in-service injury and insufficient medical evidence linking the condition to service.,The appeal for service connection for osteoarthritis, left knee, was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder is rated at 100% prior to June 23, 2021. SMC based on housebound status is granted due to the combination of his 100% service-connected unspecified depressive disorder and other disabilities rated at least 60%. TDIU is dismissed as moot with the grant of a 100% disability rating for unspecified depressive disorder.