Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including right hip disorder, genitourinary disorders, loss of sense of smell, and others, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left hand osteoarthritis disabilities based on presumptive service connection, as symptoms were noted in service and there is continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board denied service connection for benign prostatic hyperplasia, kidney stones, and osteoarthrosis/osteoarthritis as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service, including presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam or contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left wrist degenerative arthritis and remanded claims for service connection for a left knee disorder, a left hip disorder, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board remands the claims for anemia, joint disability, and anal cancer to obtain additional evidence.

The Board denied increased disability ratings for the veteran's left shoulder and right ankle conditions, but granted a separate 20 percent rating for impairment of the right humerus associated with the right shoulder condition.

The appeal regarding entitlement to an effective date earlier than October 11, 2022 for the award of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy was denied. The rating for a lumbar spine condition from March 10, 2023 was improperly reduced and reinstated at 40 percent.

The appeal regarding the propriety of the reduction in ratings for left knee instability and right hip strain with osteoarthritis was dismissed as the reductions were restored.

The Board granted the restoration of a 20 percent rating for the back disability, effective July 9, 2021.

The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the low back disability from June 17, 2020 was withdrawn by the Veteran.

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

The Board grants an effective date of January 23, 2011 for the grant of service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, various right hand disabilities, migraines, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, and IVDS were denied. The claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was granted.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for right ankle sprain was denied, but a 20 percent rating for right shoulder degenerative arthritis prior to August 28, 2017, was granted.

The veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for their low back condition from March 19, 2021 onwards was denied. The Board remanded the claims for a higher rating and TDIU prior to March 19, 2021 for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a rating higher than 10 percent for Achilles tendonitis and degenerative arthritis of the right heel, stating that the condition does not result in marked limitation of motion.

The Board remanded the case to obtain a retrospective medical opinion regarding the severity of the veteran's knee disabilities as of April 29, 2022. The clinician must review specific VA examination reports and address the frequency, severity, and duration of symptoms without medication.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and TDIU due to service-connected bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with osteoarthritis.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for right foot pes planus with degenerative arthritis and tendonitis was partially granted. A 30% rating was assigned starting August 22, 2023, but the request for a higher rating before that date was denied. Additionally, a separate 10% rating for right ankle posterior tibialis insufficiency with associated chronic right ankle pain was granted effective January 17, 2017.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a rating higher than 10% for right knee osteoarthritis. The decision was based on the veteran's range of motion and lack of additional functional loss.