Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with low back pain on a presumptive basis due to the continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and dismissed the claim for service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease. The claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, headache disability, and obstructive sleep apnea were remanded.

The Board remands the case to obtain a more thorough medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's left foot/toe disorders are related to her service or secondary to her service-connected left knee disability.

The Board remands the claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for various conditions, due to a failure to provide notice of the Veteran's right to a hearing.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no evidence of chronic kidney disease or right knee joint osteoarthritis related to service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, posttraumatic stress disorder, and bilateral hip osteoarthritis secondary to left shoulder arthritis. The claim for hypertension was remanded due to a predecisional duty to assist error.

The Board granted service connection for a back condition, left foot pes planus, bilateral knee disability, and right hip disability based on the evidence supporting their occurrence during active duty.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches and a right knee disability, diagnosed as medial meniscus tear and degenerative arthritis.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including a back condition, sacroiliitis, and degenerative arthritis in various joints.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, to include as secondary to service-connected Burkitt's lymphoma, due to inadequate medical opinions and unobtained private treatment records.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension, right hand pain, and lumbar spine condition; denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder condition, and obstructive sleep apnea; and remanded claims related to tinnitus, PTSD, TDIU, and other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disability, to include degenerative arthritis, as the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current condition was related to his military service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral knee, hip, and foot disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board remands the Veteran's increased rating claims for his right and left hip disabilities to correct a duty to assist error related to medication use in determining the proper disability ratings.

The appeal for service connection for a lower back condition was withdrawn by the Veteran before the Board could make a decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine intervertebral disc syndrome and degenerative arthritis, as well as an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, as well as bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies of the femoral and sciatic nerves.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis (lumbar spine), and lumbar radiculopathy, right lower extremity. The claims for PTSD, alcohol use disorder, a right shoulder disorder, and sleep apnea were remanded.

The Board denied an increased rating for PTSD, a TDIU prior to July 13, 2019, and increased ratings for the lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board denied service connection for a degenerative arthritis disability, as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis. The claims for hearing loss, bilateral great toe calluses, coronary artery disease, and congestive heart failure were remanded to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.