Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2026

The reduction of the Veteran's disability rating for lumbosacral degenerative arthritis from 40 percent to 20 percent was improper, and his rating is restored to 40 percent effective June 1, 2024.

The Veteran's right hand degenerative arthritis is granted service connection. The issues of depression, insomnia, hypertension (secondary to depression), eczema, gastrointestinal issues, and left hand disability are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's requests for increased ratings for his ankle and thoracolumbar spine disabilities were denied. The left and right ankle disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, while the thoracolumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent prior to October 27, 2016, and 40 percent effective June 1, 2017.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and fibromyalgia, but denied his claims for service connection for right knee and left knee disorders. The appeals regarding chronic fatigue syndrome, heart disorder, lower extremity neuropathy, and tinnitus are being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to deficiencies in the record existing prior to the appealed AOJ decision. Specifically, there is a need for additional medical opinions regarding the ameliorative effects of medication on his knee conditions and whether his left foot condition is related to his service-connected back disability or other conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and inadequate medical opinions. The AOJ is instructed to obtain missing treatment records and provide a VA clinician with an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neck and lower back conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU is granted effective January 1, 2020, as the day after his last day of employment. The Board finds that he has been unable to secure and maintain substantial gainful employment due to combined effects of PTSD and lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal of his service connection claims, finding that the appeal was untimely and no good cause for extension was provided.

The reduction in the ratings for first-degree frostbite with degenerative arthritis of the right hand and left hand from 30% to 20% was not proper, and the original 30% ratings are reinstated. The Veteran is granted entitlement to Total Disability due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 40 percent, as there was no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or other conditions warranting a higher rating. The Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hip disabilities, including osteoarthritis and avascular necrosis of the hips, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's left wrist disorder is granted service connection and assigned a 20% rating.,His neck disability is granted with an initial 20% rating, but no higher.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as there was a full grant of benefits for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, left shoulder acromioclavicular degenerative joint disease, and right shoulder degenerative arthritis with rotator cuff tendonitis in an August 2024 rating decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to his current condition and concluding that any osteoarthritis he has is not etiologically linked to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities.,Service connection is also remanded for a thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Board has vacated its decision denying service connection for right hip arthritis and remanded the issue of whether it is secondary to PTSD or degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Board has restored a 50 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected left knee strain with osteoarthritis from July 9, 2021. The reduction to 10 percent in August 2024 was improper due to inadequate examination findings and functional limitations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to need regular aid and attendance of another person, resulting in the grant of SMC at the A&A rate. The question of entitlement to SMC on account of being housebound is moot due to the grant of SMC based on A&A.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.