Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder strain, bilateral knee osteoarthritis, and bilateral foot degenerative arthritis and heel spur to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining an adequate VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected shoulder disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, to include replacements and osteoarthritis, as well as dismissed the appeal for service connection for left ankle pain due to an untimely Notice of Disagreement.

The Board granted service connection for neck disabilities, diagnosed as a cervical strain, degenerative arthritis, and degenerative disc disease other than IVDS.

The appeal for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement.

The Board granted a 40 percent initial disability rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and intervertebral disc syndrome; 20 percent initial disability ratings for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy; and a 10 percent disability rating for limitation of extension in the left hip due to osteoarthritis. The claim for a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss was denied.

The Board granted service connection for allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, lumbosacral strain, right foot hallux valgus and capsulitis, right knee meniscal tear, right hand mild to moderate osteoarthritis and ULC MPC calcification calcium deposit of bursa with right thumb chronic UCL injury, and osteoarthritis, joint of left thumb. The claim for a left foot disability was denied.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral foot metatarsalgia, hallux rigidus, and osteoarthritis based on the evidence showing current diagnoses and a nexus to in-service symptoms.

The Board remands the matter for further development to clarify the Veteran's employment status during the appeal period and determine if a TDIU is warranted.

The Board remands the claim for increased disability ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis due to inadequate VA examinations and missing non-VA treatment records.

The Board denied a compensable disability rating for the Veteran's right knee scars and remanded the claim for an increased rating of the service-connected right knee osteoarthritis due to an inadequate VA examination.

The appeal of the claim for service connection for keratoderma is dismissed as moot. Service connection was granted for several conditions, and effective dates were assigned.

The Board denied increased ratings for several service-connected conditions but granted service connection for ADHD.

The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for a 40 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine to obtain a retrospective opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected condition prior to November 8, 2022.

The Board denied the claims for earlier effective dates and remanded the claims for higher ratings due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for left knee instability from August 14, 2020, and denied higher ratings for both conditions at other times.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left elbow flexion and extension, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for flexion or a compensable rating for extension.

The Board denied a rating higher than 10 percent for right ankle tendonitis and degenerative arthritis prior to November 29, 2018, and a rating higher than 20 percent from that date.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the regular need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected traumatic brain injury, major depressive disorder, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with IVDS, and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine.

The Board granted service connection for left knee strain with joint osteoarthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left and right ankle disabilities, but remanded the claim for an initial rating greater than 40 percent for lumbosacral strain.