Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The appeal was denied due to untimely filing of the Board Appeal requests.

The Board granted service connection for right ankle posterior tibial dysfunction with tendonitis with degenerative arthritis and colon cancer.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hand osteoarthritis and remanded the claim for a lung condition (lung spot) for further development.

The Board granted an effective date of August 26, 2020, for a 20 percent disability rating and denied a higher rating during the appeal period.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection and remanded claims for increased ratings.

The appeal for increased evaluations of the Veteran's right knee disabilities and service connection for a right shoulder condition was dismissed due to an impermissible concurrent election in the review process.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right foot degenerative arthritis, finding no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his active service.

The Board denied service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremity femoral nerves, an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the spine with status post lumbar discectomy, an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for limitation of motion of the left ankle, and remanded service connection for limitation of motion of the right ankle.

The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, service connection for prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction, but denied service connection for restless leg syndrome.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis, right shoulder acromioclavicular and glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis, left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and right knee joint osteoarthritis, as well as a separate 20% rating for erectile dysfunction. The Board denied an increased disability rating higher than 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II but granted service connection for bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes.

The Board granted service connection for cervical degenerative arthritis and right and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy for accrued benefits purposes, finding that the Veteran's neck manifestations began during and have continued since service and were at least as likely as not caused by service.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent disability rating for degenerative arthritis of the right thumb, effective from December 16, 2024.

The Board granted service connection for a back disorder, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, left ear hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorders (generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder), and plantar fasciitis of the feet. The claim for right ear hearing loss was denied.

The Board dismissed the appeals for higher disability ratings and denied service connection for swelling of leg/foot, as well as increased ratings for various musculoskeletal conditions.

The Board granted a disability rating of 20 percent for right and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy from February 19, 2022, but denied higher ratings. The Board also denied an earlier effective date for the increased 40 percent rating for lumbar spine disability.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for increased ratings of degenerative arthritis of the spine, left and right knee strains with flexion and extension limitations.

The Board granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to an in-service injury.

The Board granted restoration of a 40 percent evaluation for degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine, with degenerative arthritis due to an improper reduction in the disability rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities, including cervical spine degenerative arthritis, right thumb disability, left wrist scars, and right thumb scar.

The Board granted a 40 percent disability rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with herniated disc at L3-L5 and IVDS, denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for left ankle sprain and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and granted earlier effective dates for service connection for certain conditions.