Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board remands the appeal for an adequate retrospective medical opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's right knee impairment.

The Board granted an initial rating of 30 percent for left elbow degenerative arthritis, but no higher.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine vertebral fracture with DDD, degenerative arthritis, and spinal fusion, as well as radiculopathy in both lower extremities.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for the right knee disability, as the Veteran's right knee disability manifested in no greater than extension limited to 20 degrees.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbosacral condition, including lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, and scoliosis, based on the evidence showing that these conditions began during the Veteran's active duty service.

The appeal for a compensable evaluation for service-connected hypertension was withdrawn by the Veteran's representative, and thus dismissed.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension, finding it manifested to a compensable degree within one year of the Veteran's separation from service. The other claims were remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance or housebound criteria, as there was no evidence that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to care for daily personal needs without assistance from others or substantially confined him to his dwelling.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and initial rating of various conditions, including Crohn's Disease, GERD, left knee disorder, and chronic sinusitis with allergic rhinitis, to obtain additional medical evidence.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right knee conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board granted a 30 percent initial disability rating for chronic sinusitis and denied service connection for several other conditions, including right knee strain, obesity, degenerative arthritis, and others. Some claims were remanded for further consideration.

The Board granted service connection for thoracolumbar spine conditions, left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, and right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy.

The Veteran's service connection for right knee osteoarthritis with meniscal tear and initial rating of 50 percent for migraines with dizziness were granted, while the initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left first MCP partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament was denied.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and service connection for irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease as secondary to PTSD. The Board also granted an initial 50 percent rating for migraine headaches effective August 26, 2022.

The Board granted service connection for painful hands and feet, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis and frostbite in the left hand, right hand, right foot, and left foot.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an extension of a temporary total evaluation for convalescence from left hip femoral acetabular impingement syndrome surgery with hip dysplasia, finding that there was no evidence demonstrating she required continued convalescence beyond November 1, 2018.

The Veteran's service connection for GERD was granted, while the claims for left and right hand degenerative arthritis were denied. The rating for his right ankle condition was increased to 20 percent effective September 25, 2014.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher disability rating for right and left shoulder degenerative arthritis, finding that the current 20 percent ratings were appropriate based on the evidence of record.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with bilateral radiculopathy, finding that it is a continuation of and caused by in-service back pain.

The Board granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis based on evidence of in-service injury and continuous symptoms since service.