Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis to obtain further medical evidence regarding its etiology.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical disorder and a low back disorder, both diagnosed as degenerative disc disease, degenerative joint disease, and degenerative arthritis.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus, left patella traumatic arthritis, right patella traumatic arthritis, and degenerative joint disease of the right ankle.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, thus granting special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied it for bilateral hearing loss and right shoulder degenerative arthritis. The claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for left knee joint osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and his active military service.

The Board granted service connection for left and right ankle osteoarthritis, but remanded the claims for left and right leg sciatica due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left scrotum disability with voiding dysfunction, as the evidence did not support a higher rating based on urinary frequency.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for left knee meniscal tear and chronic rhinitis, but denied earlier effective dates for headaches and a left knee scar. Service connection was also granted for right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee joint osteoarthritis status post MCL surgery based on the evidence showing that the Veteran's limitation of flexion has always been far better than 30 degrees and most limited to approximately 125 degrees, even when considering all factors, such as flare-ups and after repetitive use.

The Board remands the claims for higher ratings for right and left knee disabilities to correct a regulatory or statutory duty, the correction of which has a reasonable possibility of aiding in substantiating the claims.

The Board granted separate ratings for meniscal conditions of the knees and service connection for left knee instability and left hip degenerative arthritis as secondary to a service-connected condition, while denying increased ratings for the knees based on limitation of extension.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for spinous fracture C-7, temporomandibular disorder, acid reflux, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, a 10 percent evaluation for hypertension, and a 60 percent evaluation for right knee osteoarthritis, status post total knee replacement.

The Board granted service connection for right knee osteoarthritis status post total right knee replacement and a TDIU effective March 9, 2021. Other claims were denied or remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of both upper extremities, as well as remanding two new claims.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy and remanded the claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis with IVDS and spinal stenosis.

The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and separate ratings for left thigh neuritis of the external cutaneous nerve and left leg neuritis of the ilio-inguinal nerve due to a need for additional evidence.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine degenerative arthritis, a separate rating for occipital nerve impingement associated with cervical spine degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, and GERD due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran was granted a separate 10 percent rating for left knee dislocated semilunar cartilage, but the claims for higher ratings for instability, flexion limitation, extension limitation, and tinnitus were denied.