Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain with spondylosis and neuroforaminal encroachment, left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, and right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy. The Board also granted initial ratings of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and 20 percent for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and non-compensable ratings for sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, thoracolumbar strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine, right knee strain, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity sciatic nerve.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, but remanded the claims for a left knee disability, tubular adenoma of the colon, and diabetes mellitus due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities, which render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board granted an effective date of November 5, 2014, for the award of service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis with IVDS.

The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the back and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for tinnitus and a left knee disability because the claims were granted with the earliest effective date possible, rendering them moot.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is etiologically related to his active duty service.

The Board granted a September 1, 2020, effective date for the award of service connection for left knee strain with osteoarthritis.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability, diagnosed as right knee osteoarthritis, but remanded claims for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability, to include acromioclavicular osteoarthritis, labral tear, including SLAP, and synovitis and tenosynovitis.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar degenerative arthritis with spinal stenosis, cervical degenerative arthritis with spinal stenosis, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities as secondary to the lumbar condition, but denied a left leg disability other than neuropathy. Parkinson's disease was remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for IVDS with degenerative arthritis and lumbar strain was granted, resulting in a 40 percent rating before June 17, 2020, and a 50 percent rating from that date.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection and denied increased ratings, as there was no evidence supporting a diagnosis of TBI, adiposity-based chronic disease, or carpal tunnel syndrome related to service. The claim for obstructive sleep apnea was dismissed due to a previous grant of service connection.

The Board granted the Veteran's appeal for reinstatement of a 20 percent rating and an increased rating to 30 percent for cervical strain.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis, IVDS, and spinal stenosis of the lumbar spine and assigned a 10 percent rating for irritable bowel syndrome.

The Board granted an effective date of August 4, 2022, for the award of service connection for left knee osteoarthritis.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder and remanded claims for service connection, increased ratings, and TDIU.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for various orthopedic conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation under applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's migraine headaches and right heel tendonitis with osteoarthritis of the right ankle were granted ratings, and a TDIU was also granted.