Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, Parkinson's disease, and increased ratings for his knee and lumbar spine conditions due to the lack of adequate VA examinations and missing VA medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee chondromalacia, instability, and osteoarthritis on an aggravation basis due to a preexisting condition that worsened during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was granted. The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent disabling for his left knee condition was denied.

The Veteran's bilateral knee osteoarthritis and pain are found to have manifested during active service, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee disability, finding that his current condition is related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's panic attacks and chest pain are attributable to his service-connected PTSD and heart disability, respectively. The symptomatology is already contemplated in the evaluations for those disabilities.,The Veteran's chronic headaches more nearly approximate characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once a month over the last several months.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis of both feet is granted as service connected, with the Board finding that there is at least approximate balance of evidence supporting this determination.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis with L3-L5 disc herniation (lumbar disability), left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. The Board found that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis, status post total knee arthroplasty, was incurred in or caused by service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's low back condition, left knee strain, right knee strain, and presbyopia are all granted service connection. The claim for increased evaluation of sarcoidosis is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions and failure to consider all relevant evidence. The issues of back condition, head injury residuals, and right ankle condition are being reviewed again.

The Board has determined that an effective date of March 31, 2011 is granted for the award of service connection for lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent and TDIU remains before VA.

The Board dismissed the issues of service connection for lumbar spondylosis and degenerative disc disease, radiculopathy, right lower extremity, sciatic nerve, and rotator cuff tear, glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis, left shoulder as they were already granted in a previous decision.

The Veteran's claim for payment of non-VA care provided at Mercy Health Saint Ritas Medical Center LLC on May 14, 2021 is granted due to the timely filing and eligibility under 38 U.S.C. § 1728.

The Veteran's left hip disability is currently rated at 10 percent for limitation of extension, and his lumbosacral strain is rated at 10 percent. The Board has determined that neither condition warrants a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, including incomplete medical opinions and failure to obtain relevant records such as ROTC personnel records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee degenerative arthritis due to lack of new and relevant evidence. The appeal is denied.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of April 10, 1996 for the grant of service connection for right femoral cyst with right avascular necrosis of the femur and osteoarthritis. The issues of increased ratings are remanded.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, effective March 2, 2016, for the left knee, and November 15, 2022, for the right knee. The Board has remanded these claims due to additional evidence or clarification needed.