Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for COPD and remanded the claims for lumbar spine condition, OSA, TIA, and BHL.

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

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings of the Veteran's right knee conditions due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of his disabilities without medication.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar strain and thoracolumbar scoliosis, as well as cervical lordosis, cervical disc disease, and cervical degenerative arthritis, based on the evidence showing a relationship to the Veteran's active duty.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for cervical spine arthritis to obtain a new medical opinion on its etiology, specifically regarding whether it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's right knee, left knee, and right hip conditions as there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his active military service.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records from 1974 to 2023.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine as there was no evidence of an in-service incurrence or a relationship to service.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from December 15, 2020 to April 26, 2022 due to service-connected major depressive disorder, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and left sciatic nerve radiculopathy.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right ankle, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and readjudicating the cases.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, resolving doubt in the Veteran's favor. The other claims are remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board denied increased ratings for various musculoskeletal conditions, including left and right elbow disabilities, left and right knee patellofemoral syndrome with osteoarthritis and meniscal tear, right foot callus, and right knee instability. The decision also restored the 10 percent rating for left knee instability and right elbow radial head fracture.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis and unspecified ligament tear, finding that the evidence did not support higher initial evaluations.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for an increased rating and initial compensable rating due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of his right knee disability and associated scars.

The Board granted a higher rating of 30 percent for right shoulder arthritis effective February 1, 2024, and denied ratings higher than 20 percent for left shoulder arthritis, higher than 20 percent for degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease, higher than 10 percent for right knee limitation of flexion, higher than 10 percent for right knee instability, and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's right and left foot disabilities from August 6, 2024, but denied initial ratings in excess of 10 percent prior to that date. The claims for service connection for hypothyroidism, tinnitus, and knee disabilities were remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for right and left hip osteoarthritis, finding that his original claim was not properly raised prior to January 23, 2023.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the Veteran's right and left hip disabilities, as well as initial disability ratings of 30 percent for each.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine condition, right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve.