Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability, including meniscal tear and arthritis. The AOJ is required to obtain an additional medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's condition.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's current right knee disability, osteoarthritis, is not etiologically linked to his active duty military service. The claim will be remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's back disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis and transverse process fusion L5-S1 with degenerative large herniated disk at L5-S1, was aggravated by the service-connected right hallux valgus postoperative.,The Veteran's left and right lower extremity radiculopathy were due to his service-connected degenerative arthritis and transverse process fusion L5-S1 with degenerative large herniated disk at L5-S1.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions and whether they are related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's back and ankle conditions were not rated higher than the current levels, with the appeal being remanded for further review of his hip osteoarthritis claims.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for left shoulder rotator cuff tendinitis and right knee strain due to a lack of verification of the Veteran's reserve component service dates.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his GERD and OSA, as well as a VA examination for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee osteoarthritis. The AOJ will consider any new evidence submitted during this process.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee disability, finding that it is caused by his service-connected left knee disability and resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates as his conditions did not meet criteria for increased ratings in the year preceding the November 2021 VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding the need for an addendum opinion on whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of an injury or disease during active duty or reserve training that caused or aggravated his current condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right and left ankle arthralgia, a sleep disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder, left shoulder osteoarthritis, right knee disability, right hip OA, left hip OA, cervical spine disability, and hearing loss have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.,The Veteran's claims were remanded for further action on his hypertension and GERD/hiatal hernia.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for his left knee disability due to a duty to assist error, specifically failing to obtain the Veteran's Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to December 13, 2017 are denied.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for her scar is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error in the initial rating decision. A new opinion is needed to consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his back pain and its continuity since service.

The Board has granted an effective date of May 29, 2015 for the award of service connection for a right knee scar. The decision is based on secondary service connection as the scar is related to the Veteran's service-connected right knee meniscus and ACL tear residuals with osteoarthritis.

The Board has denied a rating for left ankle disability in excess of 10 percent and has remanded the claims for cervicothoracic spine pain, bilateral acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis was denied. The case is remanded for further review of her low back disability and TDIU claim.

The Veteran seeks earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits due to service-connected disabilities. The Board finds that the failure to refer the issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to July 17, 2015, to the Director was an error in satisfying a regulatory duty, as it has a reasonable possibility of aiding in substantiating the claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial evaluation higher than 10 percent for various service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the knees and lumbar spine, left elbow bursitis, and rotator cuff tendonitis of the shoulder. The remand is due to inadequate examination reports that do not provide specific findings regarding range of motion loss due to pain.