Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The appeal was dismissed due to the lack of a timely appeal for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, making the December 2023 rating decision final.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from March 9, 2022, to February 27, 2023, due to the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, including Reiter's Syndrome, from December 11, 2001.

The Board remands the matter for an eighth time to obtain a retrospective medical opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition from June 2008 to the present, in compliance with Stegall v. West.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for insomnia, anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder was dismissed due to untimely filing of the Board Appeal request.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, as well as remanded certain issues related to TDIU and DEA benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, except for a 20 percent rating for cervical IVDS with degenerative arthritis and segmental instability from December 22, 2021 to January 12, 2023.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine disability, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability had its onset in service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for left and right ankle strain, as well as left and right knee instability with degenerative arthritis, on the basis of the bilateral factor.

The Veteran was granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the periods from October 20, 2023 to November 13, 2024 and from January 1, 2025 to January 13, 2025. Service connection was granted for right hand degenerative arthritis, but an initial compensable disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for several service-connected conditions and granted some separate evaluations, while remanding others.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory condition, restless leg syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, and higher ratings for allergic rhinitis, tension headaches, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and generalized anxiety disorder with unspecified mood disorder and alcohol use disorder. The claims for chronic sinusitis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and lumbosacral strain were remanded.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection and initial rating, dismissing both issues.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and arthritis, right knee, left knee, right toe, and hair loss. The claims for a cervical spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, and right toe hallux valgus were denied.

The Board remands the claim for a further VA medical opinion to address the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disorder(s) and obtain outstanding private treatment records.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left hip disability to correct an AOJ error related to providing notice of the right to a pre-decisional hearing.

The appeals for service connection and higher ratings were dismissed due to procedural defects.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his end stage renal disease was caused by the use of NSAIDs to treat his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service-connected right shoulder, left shoulder, and cervical spine disabilities, as the evidence showed that these conditions arose on December 21, 2016.

The Board granted service connection for a left hip, right hip, diabetes mellitus type II, headache disorder, and thoracic spine disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected conditions but denied an initial compensable rating for Bell's Palsy (right side) and a higher rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis.