Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the case due to VA's failure to obtain certain medical records and failed to follow up on requests for records from the Veteran. The issue of service connection for a left knee disability remains under development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, right hip osteoarthritis, left hip osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for left knee osteoarthritis due to a duty-to-assist error in not obtaining an adequate VA medical opinion. The case will be reconsidered with additional evidence and opinions.

The Board has denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as other conditions. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but the claim for an increased rating remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than September 27, 2006 for various disabilities have been denied.,Effective dates prior to September 27, 2006 were not granted for the service connection grants and disability ratings of several conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left hand thumb CMC joint with osteoarthritis, finding that there was no evidence of ankylosis or a gap greater than two inches between the thumb pad and fingers. The condition is not considered to be better served by amputation.

The Board dismissed the appeal for rating increases in multiple conditions due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left hand long finger degenerative arthritis, finding that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating based on limitation of motion.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral degenerative arthritis with lumbar scoliosis and right knee degenerative arthritis, as these conditions are not found to be related to his active duty service. The claim for anxiety/panic attacks is also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for an increased rating for service-connected right and left knee joint osteoarthritis due to insufficient information regarding passive range of motion testing in previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability, including left knee pain and osteoarthritis, as well as right knee pain and osteoarthritis, is granted service connection based on the evidence showing a relationship to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error and needs additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of any right-hand condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for left shoulder repair with glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis.

The Board has granted service connection for a left hip condition, erectile dysfunction, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain.,The evidence supports that these conditions are aggravated by or related to his service-connected disability.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disability, including plantar fasciitis and pes planus, is found to be at least as likely as not related to her military service. The Board also finds that the Veteran's right wrist degenerative arthritis and left wrist sprain are at least as likely as not related to her active-duty service.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and effective dates have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, but no higher. The Board found that the evidence was in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's forward flexion of his cervical spine was greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees.