Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee degenerative arthritis and in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder osteoarthritis to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for painful left knee scars and a 20 percent rating for the left knee disability based on dislocation of semilunar cartilage, but denied a compensable rating for left knee scars based on disfigurement. The right knee claim was remanded.

The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for tension headaches from September 10, 2021, to August 27, 2022, and denied increased ratings for other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for a migraine headache disorder and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, and assigned a 10 percent rating for his lumbar area surgical scar. The remaining claims were remanded for further development.

The appeal was withdrawn by the Veteran, and all issues on appeal are dismissed.

The appeal for service connection for right knee osteoarthritis was dismissed due to an impermissible concurrent election of review options.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right and left hip disorders, characterized as both limitation of flexion and extension, right knee disability, and right ankle disability due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board denied the claims for increased ratings, finding that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board remands the claims for a retrospective opinion regarding the Veteran's left shoulder disability due to an inadequate examination and inextricably intertwined issues with TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbosacral spine, and denied ratings in excess of 20 percent for various radiculopathies. However, it granted an initial 20 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve prior to December 30, 2019.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including right and left shoulder strains with degenerative arthritis, right and left hip degenerative arthritis, left ankle degenerative arthritis with chronic instability and anterior talofibular ligament strain, cervical spine degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and obstructive sleep apnea, all of which are secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracic spine, finding continuity of symptomatology since separation from service.

The Board granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, while dismissing the appeals related to right and left ankle disabilities from multiple rating decisions.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating and TDIU due to service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease, as the prior examination was found inadequate.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome as there was no competent evidence showing that the disability was caused or aggravated by service.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disability, to include post-meniscectomy osteoarthritis, based on a progression of an in-service injury.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating and an earlier effective date due to missing evidence regarding private treatment records.

The Board remands the matter for a new examination to determine the severity and manifestations of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including testing range of motion and considering flare-ups.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee strains, granted an initial rating of 50 percent for migraine headaches, and remanded the claim for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his right hip conditions due to his failure to attend scheduled VA examinations without good cause.