Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection of left elbow, right elbow, and right thumb degenerative arthritis to obtain an addendum VA medical opinion addressing direct causation and aggravation by service-connected disabilities.

The issues of service connection for degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine; right leg radiculopathy; and degenerative arthritis, cervical spine are dismissed as the Board granted service connection in a separate appeal stream.

The Board granted service connection for left and right knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms were present during active service and have continued to the present.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no current disabilities of chronic sinusitis, fatigue, or UTI, and that knee flexion did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Board granted the veteran's appeal and reinstated the 40 percent rating for thoracolumbar strain to include degenerative arthritis, finding that the reduction was improper.

The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for unspecified trauma and stressor with unspecified depressive disorder, but remanded the issues of a higher rating for right ankle degenerative arthritis and TDIU.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for left and right hip disabilities due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board granted the readjudication of service connection for diabetes, but denied or remanded other claims based on a lack of new and relevant evidence or due to incomplete medical records.

The Board granted the appeal and reinstated a 40 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine vertebral fracture with degenerative arthritis and lumbosacral strain, effective June 24, 2024.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board remands the claim for a lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis to ensure that the AOJ makes reasonable attempts to obtain missing reserve treatment records and in-service hospital records.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability prior to August 28, 2017, and a rating in excess of 20 percent from that date.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's low back disability, as the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between the condition and active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding it less likely than not that the condition was related to the Veteran's service-connected upper extremity disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, and cervical spine disabilities as secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability due to inadequate VA opinions.

The veteran has withdrawn the appeal for all claims, and the Board lacks jurisdiction to review them.

The Board granted a higher initial rating of 30 percent for GERD and earlier effective dates for the assignment of higher ratings for degenerative arthritis of the spine to include intervertebral disc syndrome.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability, special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance, and total disability based on individual unemployability. The claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for right toe removal and rating in excess of 40 percent for left hip disability were denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for increased ratings for a left knee disability and lumbar strain, finding that there was no factually ascertainable worsening of these conditions within one year prior to the receipt of his intent to file.