Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board is remanding the case to address issues related to a higher rating for the service-connected right knee disability and TDIU, as these matters are inextricably intertwined.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back condition, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, finding that the evidence was in approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's cervical spine disability had its onset in service.

The Board granted the petition to reopen the claim of service connection for a right foot disorder and remanded claims for service connection for left foot disorder, pes planus (flat foot) and hallux valgus, as well as fibromyalgia.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder, right upper extremity disorder, and left upper extremity disorder as the evidence did not support an etiological relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder degenerative arthritis, right shoulder degenerative arthritis, and left knee arthritis, as well as a claim for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of lower extremities, to correct duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for left and right ankle degenerative arthritis, other than posttraumatic, but denied increased ratings for TBI, migraines, and an acquired psychiatric condition.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for left shoulder strain, painful motion with degenerative arthritis and recurrent dislocation with degenerative arthritis.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's low back disability, but denied increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of May 29, 2015, for the award of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and denied initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral/thoracic paraspinal lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve.

The appeal for entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is dismissed, and the Veteran's claim for TDIU has been granted in full with an effective date of May 1, 2020.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions as there was no evidence of a current disability, in-service incurrence or aggravation, and no nexus between the current disabilities and military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no evidence of current disabilities or functional impairment.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right knee disabilities but granted a separate 10 percent rating for symptomatic residuals of a right knee meniscectomy.

The Board remands the claims for additional development, including obtaining a new VA examination to address the inadequacies of previous examinations and obtain any relevant private treatment records.

The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right foot deterioration and service connection for secondary right foot disabilities to correct a pre-decisional error by the agency of original jurisdiction.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis with degenerative arthritis status post left reverse total shoulder replacement and biceps tenodesis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with IVDS, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and a scar on the lumbar spine.

The appeal for an initial disability rating higher than 10 percent prior to November 20, 2021 and higher than 40 percent from November 20, 2021 for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spondylosis of the thoracic spine was dismissed as withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability from August 12, 2008 to November 3, 2013 and denied higher ratings for the left quadriceps muscle injury with left knee tendon repair and degenerative arthritis.