Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including back, knee, and foot conditions, prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation.

The Board granted the restoration of a 50 percent rating for bilateral pes planus and osteoarthritis, effective January 21, 2024.

The Board granted increased ratings for the service-connected left knee osteoarthritis, left and right knee instability, and left and right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy in certain periods, while denying increased ratings in other periods.

The Board granted service connection for left knee strain and right knee strain effective February 10, 2023, but dismissed the claims as moot. The Board also granted increased ratings for certain conditions while denying others.

The Board denied service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and lumbar spine DDD and thoracic spine scoliosis as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by active service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a musculoskeletal, neck/upper back cervical spine condition and a left shoulder condition to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board granted a 40 percent disability rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine, effective March 12, 2023.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis but granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a compensable rating for bilateral wrist and hand disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, as well as remanded several issues for further development.

The Board granted service connection for somatic symptom disorder, which is claimed as depression, and denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for right shoulder glenohumeral joint and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of May 23, 2019, for the award of a 20 percent evaluation for degenerative disc disease and service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis, spinal stenosis, and lumbar laminectomy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, right hip degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, hypertension, enlarged liver, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, fever sores, and a compromised immune system, to ensure compliance with prior remand instructions.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to April 9, 2019, for left knee strain with osteoarthritis, patellofemoral pain syndrome, and residuals of tibia and/or fibula fracture, as well as an initial rating in excess of 10 percent prior to April 9, 2019, for left knee instability.

The Board granted service connection for left and right ankle disabilities manifested by pain, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and bilateral hip osteoarthritis.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's left and right hip conditions, but granted a separate 10 percent rating for painful left ankle scars.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for tinnitus, hypertension, low back disability, bilateral pes planus, and bilateral shin splints to correct duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral feet condition and degenerative arthritis thoracolumbar spine due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran withdrew all pending claims and appeals, resulting in the dismissal of these matters.