Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and service connection due to insufficient evidence and failure to obtain necessary medical examinations and opinions.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, to include as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral flat feet.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back disability and a neck disability due to an incomplete record, specifically the February 2024 VA examiner's medical opinion regarding the Veteran's neck condition.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine with cervical fusion to obtain an adequate medical opinion.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to an untimely notice of disagreement. The claims for increased ratings and service connection for various disabilities were denied or remanded.

The Board remands the issues of service connection for osteoarthritis and kidney disability due to ionizing radiation exposure for further development, including obtaining new medical opinions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for ED, multiple joint rheumatoid arthritis, neck disability with cervical radiculopathy and degenerative arthritis, and back disability with bilateral lumbar radiculopathy and degenerative arthritis to obtain additional medical opinions that comply with previous remand directives.

All five issues were remanded for additional development. The Board found prior VA medical opinions inadequate because they failed to address in-service diagnoses, applied incorrect legal standards, and dismissed competent lay statements without explanation.

The Board granted a rating of 50 percent for left knee osteoarthritis based on limitation of extension and 30 percent for limitation of flexion, effective September 15, 2014.

The Veteran was granted an initial 40 percent rating for his lumbar spine disability from August 8, 2011 to June 10, 2021, but the increased rating request beyond that date was denied.

The Board remands the claim for a new VA examination to determine whether the Veteran's right hip degenerative arthritis is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected left hip trochanteric pain syndrome and bursitis, as well as his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee strain with joint osteoarthritis, granted an initial 10 percent rating for hypertension and chronic cough, and remanded claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and migraine headaches.

The Board denied service connection for malignant melanoma, bilateral hearing loss, and urinary tract condition. It granted an initial 10 percent evaluation for hypertension associated with herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the right thumb carpometacarpal joint, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and his military service.

The Board granted a separate disability rating of 30 percent for left knee degenerative arthritis (limitation of extension) from April 7, 2021, to January 23, 2023, and a separate disability rating of 20 percent for moderate subluxation and instability from April 7, 2021, to January 9, 2023. The claim for an increased rating for left knee degenerative arthritis (limitation of flexion) was denied.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for all pending issues, indicating satisfaction with the current ratings and effective dates.

The Board granted service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis of the spine, finding that it was caused by the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus, right tendonitis, and bilateral knee degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as the evidence did not support higher evaluations or establish service connection.

The Board granted an effective date of August 18, 2021, for a 20 percent disability rating for the Veteran's cervical strain and degenerative arthritis.

The Board granted an increased rating of 30 percent for left knee instability, effective September 25, 2023, but denied a higher rating or additional ratings for the left knee disability.