Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a back disorder and denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for right foot pes planus with degenerative arthritis and remanded the issues of a higher rating for left foot pes planus and service connection for onychomycosis.

The Board granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the right ankle with instability and remanded claims for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic sinusitis.

The Board remands the claim for a low back disability to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion and addressing direct service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a digestive disorder, bilateral foot pain, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes, degenerative arthritis (claimed as lower back pain), and migraines. However, tinnitus was granted.

The appeal was denied as the Veteran's lumbar spine and right knee disabilities did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea and conditions related to PTSD, lumbosacral strain, bilateral knee osteoarthritis, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral shin splints, have warranted a higher level of special monthly compensation (SMC) at the l 12 rate from April 13, 2018.

The Board granted service connection for rhinitis and denied an increased rating for the back disability from September 15, 2023. The left shoulder and OSA claims were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, low back disability, knee strains, foot disability, and others, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the left ankle and granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, while remanding claims for muscular dystrophy and special monthly compensation.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with DDD, finding a link between the Veteran's condition and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board denied service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome and various ratings in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies, and left ulnar tunnel syndrome. However, a 20 percent rating was granted for the left ulnar tunnel syndrome.

The Board granted an evaluation of 40 percent for the service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, 20 percent for the left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, and 40 percent for the status-post arthroscopy for adhesive capsulitis & debridement of partial labral tear (right shoulder) from June 2, 2021, to January 28, 2024.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis with patellar spur, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error and to consider additional entitlement theories.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for his left ankle strain and right ankle strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating or an earlier effective date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the bilateral knees, finding that her in-service complaints were acute and transitory and that there was no evidence linking her current condition to active service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left side sciatica was granted, and several issues were remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for right knee limitation of extension on and after April 4, 2021, and a 20 percent rating for left knee instability on and after March 1, 2021. The claims for increased ratings for the knees were denied.

The Board reinstated the 40% rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine effective January 1, 2021. The application to readjudicate service connection for a right hip disability was denied.