Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for higher evaluations of lumbar spine disability and sciatica of the right leg to provide an adequate examination that considers the ameliorative effects of medication with regard to range of motion.

The Board remands the claim for service connection of right shoulder mild osteoarthritis with calcified lymph nodes to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding direct service connection and TERA.

The Board denied increased ratings for asthma with COPD, bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left and right knee disabilities, and left and right ankle disabilities. However, TDIU was granted.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various hand and wrist conditions due to a need for new VA addendum opinions.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability and a left shoulder disability, but denied increased ratings for PTSD and TMD, as well as service connections for chronic sinusitis, respiratory insufficiency, dyspnea, CFS, fibromyalgia, dermatitis, functional abdominal pain syndrome, bloating, hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, IBS, and sleep apnea.

The Board granted service connection for right knee tendonitis/tendonosis with degenerative arthritis and restored the 20 percent rating for left ankle degenerative arthritis effective July 1, 2020.

The Board granted service connection for left carpel tunnel syndrome, right carpel tunnel syndrome, left knee ACL tear s/p knee meniscus tear repair (also claimed as gout), and right knee osteoarthritis (also claimed as gout).

The Board granted service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disabilities.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's left shoulder, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and right hip disabilities but granted a 20 percent rating from December 30, 2023, for right hip osteoarthritis.

The Board remands the claim for a higher rating for the Veteran's right knee disability to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically an inadequate VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service-connected right ankle degenerative arthritis status post ankle fracture, right shoulder status post labrum tear repair, and tinnitus, as there was no prior communication regarding a claim for disability benefits.

The Board denied service connection for left lower extremity (LLE) radicular pain and parasthesia, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ, and noncompensable service-connected disabilities. The issues of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and a higher rating for special monthly compensation were also denied.

The Board granted service connection and initial disability ratings for the veteran's psychiatric disorder, back disability, bilateral leg radiculopathy, right shoulder, right knee, left ankle, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board granted a rating of 40 percent, but no higher, prior to March 31, 2021, for the Veteran's thoracolumbar strain with degenerative arthritis.

The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disability and assigned a 100% rating. The left ankle degenerative arthritis was rated at 30% from October 1, 2017.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection awards, finding that the appropriate effective date was May 4, 1998, when he first filed a claim specifically for a back disability.

The Board remands the claim for a right knee disability to obtain an adequate VA examination due to deficiencies in the May 2021 examination report.

The Board granted an effective date prior to December 20, 2019, for a 40 percent rating for thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis and a 20 percent rating for right lower extremity sciatica and left lower extremity sciatica. The claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities were denied.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the ratings assigned for a lumbar spine disability and left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability. Service connection was also granted for fecal incontinence.

The Board denied service connection for a rib deformity, and remanded the claims for left (minor) shoulder disorder, right elbow disorder, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and bilateral hip disorders due to insufficient evidence.