Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for right knee joint osteoarthritis status post right knee arthroplasty and remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to an error in the duty to assist.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection and ratings, including IVDS with degenerative arthritis, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, major depressive disorder (MDD), and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA).

The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, but denied an increased disability rating for the Veteran's herniated nucleus pulposus with post-traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Board granted service connection for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, but remanded the issues of service connection for right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder impingement syndrome, lower back disability, neck disability, and PSOAS muscle abscess.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy impacting both lower extremities on a secondary basis to the back disability, and right knee degenerative arthritis.

The appeal for service connection for various conditions was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's thoracolumbar strain to include degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome, and spinal stenosis based on the current level of impairment.

The Board remands the claim for an initial disability rating higher than 40 percent for lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome, degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, spondylosis with moderate-severe foraminal spinal stenosis and scoliosis to obtain a retrospective medical opinion addressing the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability from August 24, 2012, to June 24, 2020.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's cervical spine disability and service connection for left knee arthritis post arthroplasty, right knee degenerative arthritis, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The appeal for service connection for right knee joint osteoarthritis was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the Board Appeal request.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date prior to March 20, 2024, for service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome, to include degenerative arthritis (IVDS).

The Board remands the case for an additional medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's osteochondroma.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with DDD other than IVDS, IVDS, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis status post discectomy to obtain private medical records.

The Board granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent, but not in excess thereof, prior to April 9, 2012 for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and denied evaluations in excess of 20 percent from that date. The claims for increased ratings for left and right knee osteoarthritis were also denied.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding that the evidence did not support an in-service injury or disease and that there was no chronicity of symptoms during service. The Veteran's current condition is not related to his service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of service connection for PTSD and erectile dysfunction, dismissed the claim for dyshidrotic eczema and tinea pedis, and granted service connection for various other conditions including lumbar degenerative arthritis with IVDS, right and left lower extremity radiculopathies, right and left knee degenerative arthritis, chronic rhinitis, tinnitus, bilateral pes planus, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, but denied service connection for right and left upper extremity radiculopathy and osteoarthritis of the right hip.

The Board remands the claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's left shoulder condition due to inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran's attorney withdrew the appeal for all issues related to left and right knee degenerative arthritis, resulting in the dismissal of these appeals.

The Board denied an initial disability rating higher than 40 percent for intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbar strain and degenerative arthritis, but granted a 20 percent disability rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve.