Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2026

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bowel and/or bladder disability, as well as other claims related to his spine and knee conditions, has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate these matters.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating. The Veteran's right upper extremity radiculopathy and left knee medial meniscus tear are each rated at 20 percent. Bilateral knee limitation of extension and flexion are each rated at 10 percent. Hypertension is rated at 10 percent. PTSD is rated at 30 percent, and headaches are rated at 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his right knee strain and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities require additional development. Specifically, a VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability during the entire period on appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with laminectomy for spinal stenosis (back disability), cervical strain with degenerative arthritis (neck disability), and right ankle tendinitis (right ankle disability).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, total right and left knee replacements, tinnitus, degenerative disc disease with spinal fusion complications, painful middle back scar, and scars of the knees, have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation. A TDIU is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all the listed conditions, thus dismissing the appeal.

The Veteran's appeals for initial ratings assigned for intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity sciatic nerve, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity sciatic nerve, and painful scar from microdiscectomy were dismissed because he had already filed a pending supplemental claim regarding these issues.

The Veteran's right hip osteoarthritis is found to have begun during service and is aggravated by his service-connected back condition, thus granting service connection for the condition.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for heart disability, to include hypertension and pacemaker implant, as secondary to now service-connected bilateral hand and bilateral foot osteoarthritis due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was part and parcel of his underlying increased rating claim for his service-connected back condition. The effective date for the award of a TDIU is granted as August 31, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings have been dismissed as the appeals were not properly initiated.,Claims related to service connection and effective dates have also been dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, bilateral hip replacements, and renal cysts, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined effect of these conditions.

The appeal for service connection for left foot tendonitis is dismissed.,A separate disability rating for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression and generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks due to military sexual trauma, to include bruxism, separate and apart from the rating for a traumatic brain injury, is denied.,An initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression and generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks due to military sexual trauma, to include bruxism and traumatic brain injury, is denied.,An initial disability rating of 30 percent, and no higher, for service-connected Meniere's syndrome is granted. The appeal for a separate rating for service-connected Meniere's syndrome is moot and dismissed.,The appeal for effective dates prior to December 13, 2021, for the award of service connection for left hip osteoarthritis, left hip limitation of abduction and rotation, left hip limitation of extension, right hip osteoarthritis, right hip limitation of abduction and rotation, and right hip limitation of extension is dismissed.,The appeal for a separate disability rating for bilateral pes planus and bilateral plantar fasciitis is remanded. The appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected bilateral pes planus to include plantar fasciitis is remanded.,The appeal for service connection for right ankle ankylosis, left ankle ankylosis, and service connection for iron deficiency (anemia) are remanded. The motion for revision, on the basis of clear and unmistakable error, of the April 24, 1995, Rating Decision, which denied service connection for a left leg disability is also remanded.,The appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected left knee disability and right knee disability are remanded.

The reduction in evaluation of service-connected joint osteoarthritis, right knee (limitation of flexion) from 20 percent to 10 percent was improper; therefore, restoration of the 20 percent rating is granted.,The reduction in evaluation of service-connected left knee painful scar from 10 percent to 0 percent was improper; therefore, restoration of the 10 percent rating is granted.,Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for right knee degenerative arthritis (limitation of extension) is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral TMJ dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show limitation of motion or involvement of two or more major joints with occasional incapacitating exacerbations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not result in the ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to July 5, 2021.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of lumbar spine, arthritis of left knee, trochanteric bursitis of left hip, trochanteric bursitis of right hip, and hypertension. The Board found no evidence to support a direct link between these conditions and her military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of all issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left shoulder, lumbar spine, and right hip disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions.