Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a bilateral foot disability, finding that new and relevant evidence was submitted and that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his service in Vietnam.

The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for unspecified anxiety disorder, but denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for the lumbar disorder and other conditions.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with lumbar disc disease and residuals of status post right knee replacement, to include osteoarthritis and ligament tear with knee instability.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity associated with the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine. The respiratory complaints claim was remanded.

The Board granted restoration of a 20 percent disability rating for osteoarthritis with degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and tenosynovitis of the thoracic spine, but denied a compensable rating for post herpetic neuralgia with neuritis of the left chest wall. The Board also denied effective dates prior to July 18, 2023, for increased ratings and service connection.

The Veteran's headaches are granted a rating of 30 percent from April 30, 2020. The Board remanded the claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine.

The Board granted an initial increased disability rating of 40 percent, but no higher, for a low back disability and earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and hypertension, but remanded several other claims related to the low back and various peripheral nerves.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an extension of a temporary total disability rating based on convalescence and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound criteria beyond July 31, 2020.

The Board denied various claims for increased disability ratings and restoration of a compensable rating for the Veteran's left knee, bilateral pes planus, right ankle, left hip, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities.

The appeal for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for the service-connected right shoulder condition was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder strain with calcific tendonitis, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The lower back disability claim was remanded.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disability, denied increased ratings for RLE radiculopathy and hypertension, and denied an initial compensable rating for the residuals of a right hip ganglion cyst removal.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board granted a 50 percent disability rating for migraine headaches, effective January 1, 2024, and denied earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection and increased ratings for various conditions.

The Board granted service connection for right wrist degenerative arthritis, left wrist degenerative arthritis, right elbow degenerative arthritis, left elbow degenerative arthritis, right knee osteoarthritis (diagnosed as right knee arthritic changes), and left knee osteoarthritis (diagnosed as left knee arthritic changes) on a direct basis.

The Board denied an increased disability rating in excess of 40 percent for right upper extremity radiculopathy and remanded the claims for higher ratings for post operative residuals, multiple dislocations of the right shoulder with degenerative arthritis, and degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, as well as a TDIU claim.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the 100 percent rating of PTSD with TBI but granted a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches and a 10 percent rating for hand degenerative arthritis, right (thumb), from specific dates.