Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that the current disability was due to an in-service motorcycle accident.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disability, a left shoulder disability, a right hip strain, a left knee strain, and a left ankle strain based on the Veteran's in-service injuries and continuous symptomatology since service.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability, diagnosed as meniscal tear, osteoarthritis, osteopenia, and resolved medical femoral epicondyle fracture based on aggravation of a pre-existing condition during ACDUTRA.

The appeals for the proposed assignment of effective dates and increased ratings were dismissed, as well as the appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for a cold weather injury to the toes. The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at 10 percent.

The Board granted service connection for left and right knee osteoarthritis and meniscal tear, finding that these conditions are proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings and service connection, finding no persuasive evidence that the criteria for increased evaluations were met prior to the respective claim or examination dates.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from March 1, 2021, and an effective date of March 1, 2021, for eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

The Board remands the claims for higher ratings for back, neck, and left knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board denied the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent disabling for service-connected fracture right knee, tibial plateau and anterior fibula, with painful motion with degenerative arthritis prior to May 3, 2025.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various conditions, including hip and cervical spine disabilities, as well as upper extremity radiculopathy.

The appeal for service connection for left elbow degenerative joint disease was dismissed due to improper concurrent elections, while the claims for left thumb pain, right thumb osteoarthritis, and right elbow degenerative joint disease were remanded for further development.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for his degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis and lumbosacral strain, and bilateral lower radiculopathy for the sciatic and femoral nerves due to a prohibited concurrent election under the modernized review system.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis, as well as for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies, to ensure an adequate examination is conducted.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis and IVDS, radiculopathy of the left and right upper extremities, but denied service connection for left knee strain with shin splints, thoracolumbar strain with IVDS, left shoulder disability to include shoulder strain with impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis, right shoulder disability to include shoulder strain with impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis with calcific tendinitis, and tinnitus.

The Board dismissed the appeals for entitlement to a rating more than 40 percent disabling for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, and for a rating more than 20 percent disabling for right lower extremity radicopathy, sciatic.

The Board remands the claims for further development and clarification regarding the severity of the Veteran's left knee and right knee disabilities, specifically to determine if the Veteran has experienced 'the functional equivalent of range of motion loss contemplated by the next higher rating' at any point during the appeal period.

The Board granted a 100 percent initial schedular disability rating for the Veteran's unspecified depressive and anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder, while remanding other issues for further development.

The Board grants service connection for major depressive disorder with alcohol abuse disorder, as it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.,The Board grants service connection for left shoulder rotator cuff condition, as it is related to the Veteran's military service.,The Board grants service connection for right shoulder rotator cuff condition, as it is related to the Veteran's military service.,The Board grants service connection for vertigo, as it is related to the Veteran's military service.,The Board grants service connection for left ankle arthritis, as it is related to the Veteran's military service.,The Board grants service connection for right ankle arthritis, as it is related to the Veteran's military service.,The Board denies service connection for status post right bicep tear, as it is not related to the Veteran's military service.,The Board denies service connection for a left arm disorder, diagnosed as left bicep pain, as it is not related to the Veteran's military service.

The veteran withdrew the appeal, and there are no allegations of error for appellate consideration.

The Board granted an initial 70 percent rating for PTSD with TBI, a 20 percent rating effective July 13, 2023 for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and thoracic disc degeneration, and a separate 10 percent rating effective July 13, 2023 for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity. The Board denied higher ratings for cervical spine conditions, bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, and other conditions including hearing loss, fractured finger, and deviated nasal septum, while remanding two issues for further consideration.