Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, to include osteoarthritis and degenerative arthritis; a bilateral ankle disorder, to include tendinitis; and a bilateral foot disorder, to include neuralgia and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PN), as these conditions were found to be caused or worsened by the Veteran's service-connected reactive arthritis.

The Board granted a disability rating of 40 percent for right knee chondromalacia patella with degenerative arthritis from December 12, 2019.

The Board remands the matter to obtain further development, including a medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's perceived left ankle instability and rolling are directly due and related to his service-connected left foot disability.

The appeal is dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran was granted a 40 percent disability rating for the lumbar spine and a 30 percent rating for the cervical spine, but these ratings were not increased. The Veteran's claim for TDIU from June 17, 2021, was also granted.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder arthritis and tendinopathy, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, and a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD.

The Board granted an initial increased rating of 100 percent for depressive disorder with anxiety and a 50 percent rating for migraines, while denying increased ratings for rhinitis and sleep apnea. The appeal was dismissed for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied an earlier effective date prior to August 14, 2023 for the assignment of a 20 percent disability rating for a right knee disability and remanded increased rating claims for left knee, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis with spinal stenosis and lumbar disc displacement, and hypertension.

The Board denied an initial increased rating higher than 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome and remanded the claim for entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, as it is inextricably intertwined with a direct service connection claim.

The appeal for service connection for right acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis with gout has been dismissed by the Veteran.

The Board granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability and an earlier effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance, as well as service connection and earlier effective dates for certain conditions, while denying increased ratings and earlier effective dates for others.

The rejection letters issued on November 25, 2022, July 18, 2023, and March 27, 2024, are void. The Veteran's claims for initial separate ratings in excess of 10 percent for bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, entitlement to initial separate 10 percent ratings for bilateral knee instability, a non-initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, an earlier effective date, and TDIU have been remanded.

The Veteran was granted service connection for a low back disability with an effective date of January 5, 2021, and initial ratings of 70 percent for PTSD, TDIU, and DEA benefits, all effective from August 9, 2019.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected right ankle degenerative arthritis was dismissed due to the untimeliness of his notice of disagreement.

The appeal for an increased rating of the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease is remanded to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a cardiac disability and low back disability to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to untimely filing of the Board Appeal request.