Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis and meniscal tear residuals, but remanded the claims for a recurrent sleep disability to include obstructive sleep apnea and a compensable rating for TBI residuals.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the left and right foot great toe ingrown toenails but granted a 10 percent rating for the painful right foot great toe ingrown toenail. The claims for increased ratings for the left knee strain with instability and service connection for a lumbar spine disability were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, a left knee disability, and right knee osteoarthritis as secondary to the left knee condition.

The Board denied service connection for left big toe hallux rigidus and denied increased ratings for the lumbar spine disability, initial rating for left big toe injury, and compensable rating for left toenail onychomycosis.

The Board remands the claims for an increased evaluation of a lumbar spine disability, service connection for migraines and chronic sinusitis due to deficiencies in the VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date than August 31, 2016, for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc syndrome with spondylolisthesis and pes planus because that was the date VA received his intent to file a claim following a previous final denial.

The Board denied service connection for allergic rhinitis, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral knee pain, neck pain, right shoulder pain, and osteoarthritis of the whole body as there was no evidence to support a finding that any of these conditions began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability, left knee disability, left ankle disability, and right wrist disability based on the evidence showing that these conditions had their onset during the Veteran's active military service.

The appeal for eligibility for the direct payment of fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a November 2024 Rating Decision was dismissed due to the appellant's intent to withdraw the issue on appeal.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, variably diagnosed as PTSD, depression, and anxiety, but dismissed the appeals for left shoulder degenerative arthritis joint disease, cervicalgia with degenerative changes of the neck, a bilateral eye condition, denied an effective date prior to July 11, 2020, for service connection for lumbosacral strain, and remanded the claim for TIA.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, hypertension, and migraine headaches to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The appeal of the proposed reduction in ratings for lumbosacral strain and left lower extremity radiculopathy was dismissed due to procedural errors.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for right knee joint osteoarthritis status post right knee arthroplasty and remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to an error in the duty to assist.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection and ratings, including IVDS with degenerative arthritis, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, major depressive disorder (MDD), and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA).

The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, but denied an increased disability rating for the Veteran's herniated nucleus pulposus with post-traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Board granted service connection for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, but remanded the issues of service connection for right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder impingement syndrome, lower back disability, neck disability, and PSOAS muscle abscess.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy impacting both lower extremities on a secondary basis to the back disability, and right knee degenerative arthritis.

The appeal for service connection for various conditions was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's thoracolumbar strain to include degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome, and spinal stenosis based on the current level of impairment.

The Board remands the claim for an initial disability rating higher than 40 percent for lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome, degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, spondylosis with moderate-severe foraminal spinal stenosis and scoliosis to obtain a retrospective medical opinion addressing the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability from August 24, 2012, to June 24, 2020.