Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evidentiary development, including a hearing and an examination to determine the nature and etiology of his lower back condition.

The Board has remanded the case for a Travel Board hearing due to scheduling issues and will be reconsidered after the hearing.

The Board has determined that the effective date for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with posttraumatic arthrosis of the right sacroiliac joint is August 31, 2001.

The Board has found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to service, specifically as a result of the August 1963 documented back injury. However, due to lack of VA treatment records and private treatment records prior to 2006, additional steps are required for remand.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was initially granted with a 10% rating effective October 17, 2008. The RO has since increased the rating to 20%, 40%, and 20% for different periods of time.

The Veteran's left knee conditions have been rated at the maximum available rating of 10 percent, and no higher ratings are warranted based on the evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a Board videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection for various conditions remain unresolved.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has granted a 10% rating for the Veteran's left fifth finger fracture, effective from the date of the decision. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Veteran's back disability was rated at 10 percent prior to April 23, 2015, and increased to 20 percent thereafter. The current rating of 20 percent is appropriate as it reflects moderate limitation of motion.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is found to be related to service-connected arthritis. The Board also finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, granting his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and consideration of new evidence. The case will be returned to the Board for further review.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his knee and foot disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for an orthopedic examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's neck, right and left ankle, and left elbow disabilities.

The Veteran's complaints of joint and muscle pain have been diagnosed as arthritis of the right shoulder, right knee, and left foot. These conditions did not manifest in service or within one year of discharge from service, and has not been related by competent evidence to his active duty service.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU as of August 11, 2015 due to his service-connected disabilities. The case is also remanded for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU prior to August 11, 2015 and issuance of a SOC regarding the issue of entitlement to a TTE based on a service-connected disability requiring a period of convalescence following February 2016 surgery.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and service connection, finding that the earliest possible effective dates were September 12, 2011 (PTSD), December 12, 2008 (headaches), and October 13, 2009 (left trapezius muscle strain).

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for his service-connected low back disability was granted, with the effective date being February 23, 2016.

The Veteran's service-connected low back strain with osteoarthritis is currently rated at 10 percent prior to October 1, 2010. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right knee disabilities have not met the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes, as they do not demonstrate compensable limitation of motion or occasional incapacitating exacerbations.