Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for a right shoulder disability to obtain an adequate medical opinion, as the previous opinions were found inadequate.

The Board granted service connection for urinary incontinence and restored a total disability rating based on individual unemployability, while denying several other claims.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for a rating above 10 percent for left ankle degenerative arthritis, finding that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation.

The veteran's appeal was denied as it was not timely filed, and good cause for an extension of time to file the appeal has not been shown.

The Board granted service connection for Graves' disease, osteoporosis/osteopenia of the left hip, right hip degenerative arthritis and osteoporosis, and osteoporosis/osteopenia of the lower back.

The Board denied an effective date prior to March 16, 2023, for the award of a 10 percent rating for right knee meniscal tear osteoarthritis.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy as it has not manifested in moderately severe incomplete paralysis.

The Board remands the claim for service connection of a chronic disability of the thoracolumbar spine to correct duty to assist errors.

The appeal for an increased rating was denied, but the effective date for TDIU was granted as January 2, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but granted a disability rating of 40 percent, but no higher, for intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied service connection for a sleep disorder other than insomnia and denied increased ratings for migraine headaches, PTSD with alcohol use disorder, insomnia disorder, and residuals of TBI, and TDIU prior to October 27, 2021. However, the Board granted a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches since June 11, 2021, a 70 percent rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder, insomnia disorder, and residuals of TBI since May 1, 2019, and a TDIU solely due to service-connected psychiatric disabilities as of October 27, 2021.

The Board denied service connection for gout and erectile dysfunction, remanded claims for service connection for Hepatitis C, hypertension, liver cancer, diabetes mellitus, cirrhosis of the liver, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, headaches, memory loss, and the Veteran's cause of death, and referred claims for service connection for headaches, memory loss, and the Veteran's cause of death to the RO.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from September 22, 2007 to December 18, 2015 due to the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the issues of increased ratings for cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine spondylosis for additional development.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis from July 9, 2015 forward.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for low back pain, left shoulder osteoarthritis, right shoulder rotator cuff, right bicep tendonitis, left bicep tendonitis, obstructive sleep apnea, and Meniere's Syndrome (vertigo) to address duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and eligibility for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation benefits, as well as an earlier effective date for a disability rating.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis and dismissed the appeal for service connection for a left knee disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral flat feet, low back disability, left wrist disorder, and GERD. The Board also remanded claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for a gunshot wound in the left upper arm, a left shoulder strain (secondary to the gunshot wound), and left and right knee disabilities.