Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left knee tri-compartmental osteoarthritis, stress fracture of the tibia; tinnitus; and right great toe status post fracture, 1st distal phalanx.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and a rating greater than 30 percent for service-connected right hip replacement with degenerative arthritis. The claim for a compensable rating for scar, status post right hip replacement was withdrawn.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left foot fracture, status post bone spur surgery.

The Board remands the claims for service connection of right and left knee, right and left hip, and bilateral shoulder disabilities to obtain additional medical opinions that comply with the terms of a Joint Motion for Remand.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with degenerative arthritis, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability from July 1, 2009, to July 31, 2012, and denied a higher rating in excess of 40 percent from August 1, 2012, to April 22, 2022.

The appeal was dismissed for several conditions, and a 20 percent rating was granted for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy prior to August 31, 2017, while higher ratings were denied.

The Board denied ratings in excess of the current assigned ratings for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board denied increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the left SI joint based on limitation of flexion and abduction/adduction, but granted a 70 percent rating for ankylosis of the left hip effective May 12, 2021.

The Board remands the case for an addendum opinion to assess the severity of the Veteran's back disability, expressed in terms of range of motion and functional impairment during flare-ups.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain and service connection for right knee osteoarthritis and left knee osteoarthritis due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a right leg disorder, diagnosed as right knee osteoarthritis, due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for lichen planus on the glans penis and remanded claims for higher ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative joint disease, and left knee degenerative joint disease.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right and left knee disabilities to obtain additional evidence and examinations.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine prior to January 21, 2022.

The Board remands the claims for additional development, including verification of in-service stressors and obtaining medical opinions to determine the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder and migraine headache disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, while his TDIU claim was granted effective January 28, 2016.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for left and right knee disabilities due to an inadequate VA examination that failed to address flare-ups.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment from May 7, 2007 through October 7, 2013.