Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2026

The Veteran's right ankle, right hand (osteoarthritis and ulnar neuropathy), and left hand disabilities were denied service connection. The Board found that the current disabilities are not related to service-connected conditions.

The Board dismissed the issue of service connection for a respiratory disability due to withdrawal. Service connection was granted for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, migraines, and TBI.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder strain with bicipital tendonitis, rotator cuff tendonitis, glenohumeral joint instability, and degenerative arthritis as a direct result of an in-service injury.

The Board has granted service connection for a left hip disability, including degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to her active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to missed VA examinations. The Board will schedule the Veteran for necessary examinations to assess his hearing loss, foot injuries, and right-hand disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain with osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis, and knee cartilage restoration surgery, lumbar strain, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis, right shoulder strain, and left shoulder strain with shoulder impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis.,An effective date of December 6, 2016 has been granted for the award of service connection for right knee instability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The issues include shoulder, knee, and TDIU claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability, but remanded the issue of left knee disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of his low back disability was denied, and the initial rating of 10% for his low back disability was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, left upper extremity neurological disability (C7/C8 cervical radulopathy and left ulnar neuropathy at the cubital tunnel), and right knee degenerative arthritis, right knee strain, and ACL tear.

The Veteran's kidney cancer was granted a 100% disability rating from April 19, 2024 to October 30, 2024. After that date, the Veteran is not entitled to any compensation for his kidney cancer.,For his left knee strain status post left patella dislocation repair with degenerative arthritis and limitation of motion, a non-compensable disability rating was granted as of August 1, 2024.

The Veteran's right knee and bilateral shoulder degenerative arthritis have been granted service connection.,A compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) has been denied, with a separate 10 percent rating granted for left ankle instability.

The Board denied higher initial evaluations for the Veteran's right and left knee degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability is rated at a higher initial rating of 70 percent, effective from September 30, 2015 to May 10, 2023. The lumbar spine disability and left knee disability are denied for the respective periods, while the left foot disability receives a higher initial rating of 20 percent.

The Board denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, finding that there was no VA treatment or referral shown and concluding that the claim must be denied as a matter of law.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability, including lumbar spine osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis L3 - L5, and grade 1 L4 on L5 spondylolisthesis. The decision is based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 50 percent, which corresponds to unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left hip disability as secondary to his service-connected back disability, with an initial 10 percent evaluation effective November 11, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the failure to consider additional evidence submitted after the initial rating decisions.,Service connection claims for a left knee disability, lumbosacral spine disability, and lower extremity neuropathies require further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracic spine, left hand strain, and left ankle strain due to incomplete development of the record.