Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for a back disorder and right ear hearing loss, but denied an increased rating for tinnitus.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disorder, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, finding it to be proximately due to his service-connected right knee disability.

The appeal for initial disability ratings for various knee conditions and an adjustment disorder was withdrawn by the Veteran, leading to the dismissal of these claims. The Board granted a 50% rating for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine associated with left knee chondromalacia patella with limited flexion and a TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for cervical neck degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current disorder is related to his active duty experiences.

The Board granted a separate 10 percent disability evaluation for bilateral plantar fasciitis and remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and depression.

The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bulging cervical discs to include degenerative arthritis and thoracolumbar spine strain.

The Board denied service connection for basal cell carcinoma, leukocytosis, and liver condition but granted reinstatement of a 40% rating for right and left knee limitations of extension effective November 1, 2024.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for tension headaches and a TDIU, while denying increased ratings for various service-connected conditions.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's passing in November 2024.

The Board remands the claim for an initial rating higher than 20 percent for right knee osteoarthritis/degenerative tear of the lateral meniscus due to an inadequate examination report and a need to assess the ameliorative effects of pain medication.

The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's service-connected acromioclavicular (AC) joint osteoarthritis of the left shoulder and right knee osteoarthritis, but granted a 10 percent rating for limitation of flexion in the right knee starting July 6, 2023, and a 20 percent rating for limitation of extension in the right knee from October 20, 2022.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, remanded the claims for left ear hearing loss, a left foot disability, and a lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee degenerative arthritis and right heel spurs with plantar fasciitis, as the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current severity of these conditions.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left knee strain, and right knee strain based on evidence that each condition was as likely as not due to in-service parachute jumps.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of left shoulder strain, degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc syndrome, left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, and right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve.

The Board granted a disability rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's low back disorder, resolving the benefit of the doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for sinusitis with sinus headaches and remanded several other issues, including increased ratings for radiculopathy of the lower extremities, degenerative arthritis conditions, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition.

The Board granted service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis with sprain but denied service connection for right knee arthritis with strain.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and a rating of 50 percent, but no higher, for migraine headaches prior to April 13, 2021, while denying increased ratings for other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain, cervicogenic headaches, right wrist sprain, left elbow disability, right knee degenerative arthritis and right knee strain, and left knee strain. However, it denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type I, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hypertension, and remanded claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, right forearm carpal tunnel syndrome, left forearm CTS, a right elbow disability, and a left wrist disability.