Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2026

The Veteran's service-connected right and left ankle disabilities have been granted increased ratings of 20 percent each, the schedular maximum. The claim for a compensable rating for chronic bronchitis has been denied.

The Veteran's back condition is granted an increased disability rating of 40 percent, but no higher. The claims for service connection for LLE and RLE radiculopathies are remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sinusitis, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, sleep disturbances, a right knee disability, osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, allergic rhinitis, and patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative arthritis in the left knee. The Board found that there was insufficient evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine was diagnosed during service and has continued since then. The Board granted service connection for this condition based on continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's back condition and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy were denied higher ratings. The Veteran's back condition was rated based on the degree of flexion, with no unfavorable ankylosis noted.

The Veteran's bilateral shoulder arthritis and right knee arthritis are granted service connection as they began during active service or resulted from in-service injuries.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea and gout, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since December 12, 2017. The effective date for the TDIU is set at December 12, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his left elbow condition and the severity of his right knee condition, taking into account the ameliorative effects of medication.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder disability, finding that it began during his military service and is related to an in-service injury.

The Board has found that the current medical opinion is inadequate and the record is incomplete without other opinions. The Veteran's left shoulder disorder may be related to service, but a VA examination is needed to determine if it was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right shoulder disorder.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided for the Veteran's knee and palatal tympanic myocronus claims were inadequate, and thus these cases must be remanded to obtain new evaluations.

The reduction of the disability rating for the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of right foot with traumatic fracture of 1st MTP joint from 30% to 10%, effective October 1, 2021, was improper; restoration is granted. The entitlement to TDIU is remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease are currently rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Veteran's RLE sciatic radiculopathy has been dismissed due to untimely filing.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate examinations and the need for a retrospective opinion regarding the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has found that the reductions of ratings for back and right knee disabilities were improper due to inadequate examinations. The claims are remanded for further evaluations.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis as secondary to bilateral pes planus due to inadequate medical opinions and lack of contemporaneous medical records.

The Veteran's appeal of proposed reductions in ratings for his service-connected back disability and right sciatic nerve radiculopathy is dismissed. The claim of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left sciatic nerve radiculopathy is remanded.

The Board has determined that there are pre-decisional duty to assist errors in the October 2024 and April 2025 rating decisions, specifically regarding the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, pes planus, right knee disability, lower back strain (lumbosacral strain), and degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) in foot, right. The Board has therefore remanded these issues to correct these errors.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions regarding his bilateral knee and foot conditions. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are currently found to be related to active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right hip disability is likely related to his service, granting him service connection for a right hip disability.