Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right elbow disabilities were denied as the evidence did not show flexion limited to 70 degrees, extension limited to 60 or 45 degrees, or limitation of pronation - motion lost beyond last quarter of arc.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for right knee instability is granted, with a 30 percent rating. The claims for increased ratings for right knee osteoarthritis (flexion) and left hip strain, osteoarthritis and bursitis based on painful motion are denied. The claim for an increased rating for right ankle osteoarthritis is also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection due to lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, and degenerative disc disease. The claim was initially denied in October 2018 but granted with a retroactive effective date of September 18, 2023.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, finding that new evidence supports a link to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and a lumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's granulomatosis disease is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition during or proximate to the pendency of the claim.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, bipolar 1 disorder, panic disorder, and general anxiety disorder, is granted due to a positive nexus established by his private physician's opinion.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including back pain and arthritis of the neck, left foot, right foot, left hand, right hand, and right shoulder. The Veteran's testimony regarding in-service injuries was inconsistent with the record.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability including strain/cervicalgia and degenerative arthritis is considered to have started during his military service or due to a pre-existing condition that was aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board granted the claim for service connection.

The Veteran seeks higher initial ratings for his back disability, but the VA examinations from the period under review are inadequate. The Board finds that remand is necessary to obtain an opinion as to the severity and manifestations of the Veteran's back disability during the period under review.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, Reiter's syndrome, and lumbar spine disability have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a hearing loss disability for VA purposes and that his service-connected disabilities do not warrant an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's back disability, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and levoscoliosis, is granted as service connection. The bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy conditions are also granted as secondary to the now service-connected back disability.,Service connection for a right shoulder disability is denied.

The Veteran's back disorder is remanded for further examination and opinion to determine its etiology, including consideration of his in-service injury and treatment.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is due to his in-service knee pain.

The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset in service and is granted service connection.,A compensable rating for chronic pansinusitis prior to August 15, 2025 is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.,A compensable rating for migraine with migraine variants is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.,Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error and the need for a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) opinion pursuant to the PACT Act.,Service connection for right hip disability (osteoarthritis) is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 2, 2017. The Board has decided that he is entitled to a TDIU effective from that date.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and TDIU have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates in several of his claims, including those related to TBI, left shoulder, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, posttraumatic migraine headaches, and TDIU. The issues have been remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for a separate disability rating for an insomnia disorder has been granted. The claims for increased ratings of the neck condition and TDIU prior to January 30, 2023 have been remanded.

The Veteran's appeal of the denial of service connection for unspecified muscle pain is dismissed. The AOJ also remanded several other issues including increased evaluations and service connection claims.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hip disabilities, together with his service-connected residuals of left ankle fracture, resulted in the loss of use of his bilateral lower extremities and affected the functions of his balance and propulsion as to preclude locomotion without the aid of crutches, a walker, or a cane. The Board has granted entitlement to a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing (SAH).