Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for right knee strain with joint osteoarthritis, left knee strain with joint osteoarthritis, and obstructive sleep apnea as the evidence did not support a finding of a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee degenerative joint disease (status post total knee replacement), degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine (status post cervical surgery), and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine (status post lumbar surgery) based on evidence that these conditions had their onset during active service.

The Board denied service connection for colon cancer, skin cancer, and prostate cancer. The Veteran was granted a 20% rating for right knee osteoarthritis status post meniscectomy with instability or subluxation and a 10% rating for a right knee scar.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including tinnitus, traumatic brain injury, post-concussion migraines, peripheral vestibular disorder, insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome thoracolumbar spine, lumbar right side sciatic nerve radiculopathy, lumbar left side sciatic nerve radiculopathy, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, and cervical right upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Board remands the claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the back and a compensable evaluation for migraine headaches prior to May 3, 2024, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for status post lumbar surgeries with degenerative arthritis and IVDS, as the additional disabilities were not a reasonably foreseeable result of the VA medical care.

The Board granted an effective date of October 1, 1973, for the award of service connection for a lumbar spine disability but remanded the issue of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent prior to April 4, 2022, and in excess of 40 percent thereafter.

The Board granted service connection for right and left hallux valgus, right and left femoral acetabular impingement syndrome, right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee strain, cervical strain, right shoulder strain, and dyspnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine and sleep apnea.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for increased disability ratings, and the claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to preclude his participation in any regular substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis with metatarsalgia is granted a rating of more than 10 percent, and the claims for initial ratings for left hip conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD was granted a rating of 100 percent effective April 10, 2018, due to the severity of his symptoms.

The Board remands the claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent and a compensable rating for the service-connected right knee conditions to correct duty-to-assist errors.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating for intervertebral disc syndrome and radiculopathy right lower extremity due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of the conditions, including the ameliorative effects of medication.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and other benefits due to insufficient evidence of disability severity beyond the current ratings.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of May 19, 2021 for the 20 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the right elbow joint and a 30 percent disability rating for migraine headaches, while denying increased ratings for other conditions.

The appeal of the issues related to increased ratings for various conditions, including tendonitis of the right ankle, osteoarthritis of the left ankle, lumbosacral strain, and radiculopathy in both lower extremities, was dismissed due to a procedural defect.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, and lumbar spine disabilities as they are not related to the Veteran's in-service frostbite or any other in-service injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for IVDS with DDD, degenerative arthritis, and lumbosacral strain.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher disability rating.