Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted, while a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied. Several service connection claims are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and IVDS, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), and right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve).

The Board remands the claim for service connection for left hip osteoarthritis to obtain an additional medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, sinusitis, and sleep apnea but granted service connection for bilateral ankle strain and bilateral knee strain. The claims for increased ratings were also denied.

The appeal for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for the appellant's service-connected conditions was withdrawn, and no disability ratings were assigned.

The Board granted service connection for left shoulder strain, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease, healed fracture of the left 2nd toe, and cervical spine degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and non-ulcer dyspepsia.

The Board granted an effective date of August 6, 2021, but no earlier, for the award of a 10 percent rating for right hip strain, impairment of the thigh. Other claims were denied.

The Board denied an effective date prior to November 1, 2018 for the 40 percent rating for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran was granted a 30 percent rating for left ankle disability and a 40 percent rating for left lower extremity post-traumatic venous sufficiency, but the claim for a compensable rating for left ankle skin discoloration and/or disfigurement was denied.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, left ankle disorder, and right ankle disorder. The claims for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left hip degenerative arthritis, right hip degenerative arthritis, respiratory infection, and chronic sinusitis were remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, a left ankle disability as secondary to the left knee condition, and left plantar fasciitis as secondary to the left knee condition.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to August 28, 2023, and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits.

The Board granted the Veteran's appeal for service connection for radiculopathy of the femoral and sciatic nerves, but denied it for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis. Agent fees were awarded in part.

The Board granted service connection for left knee patellofemoral osteoarthritis and denied it for right knee strain.

The Veteran is granted a Total Disability Rating for Compensation and Special Monthly Compensation based on statutory housebound status due to his service-connected degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis, which render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The claims for higher initial ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, osteoarthritis of the right and left knees, and left ankle strain are remanded due to inadequate VA compensation examination reports.

The Board remands the claim for an increased disability rating for traumatic degenerative arthritis (DJD) of the left ankle to correct a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Board remands the claim for an initial rating more than 10 percent for right knee degenerative arthritis, to include period(s) of convalescence, due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis & separation condition, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and sleep apnea with asthma.