Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's right knee disability, including arthritis and instability, is rated at 20% for the initial rating period from December 7, 2024. The left knee disability remains at a 10% rating.

The Board has granted service connection for a lower back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is caused by his active-duty service.

The Board denied service connection for a left wrist disorder and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right wrist degenerative arthritis. The Veteran does not have a current disability of a left wrist disorder, and his right wrist degenerative arthritis has not resulted in ankylosis or the functional equivalent thereof.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's spine disability on a direct basis, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's spine disability had onset in service following documented combat injuries. As such, the reasonable doubt created by this relative equipoise in the evidence of record must be resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, finding that his current conditions are etiologically related to active service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disorders due to in-service participation on a boxing team. The VA will need to obtain additional medical records, including private physical therapy records, and schedule an examination to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for presumptive service connection for left elbow osteoarthritis, finding that his symptoms manifested within a year of discharge from active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the July 2019 rating decision.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of entitlement to service connection for right hip joint replacement with degenerative arthritis and residuals of left knee replacement, both secondary to low back condition and right knee condition due to insufficient opinions regarding whether these conditions were caused or aggravated by service-connected conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for a lower back disability, a higher rating for right knee injury with traumatic arthritis, and an earlier effective date for scar on the right knee. The Board dismissed these issues as a result.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted, effective from May 26, 2020.,A rating of 20 percent for left knee disability and a rating of 10 percent for left knee instability are granted, both effective from May 26, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches as secondary to PTSD, sleep apnea and tinnitus. The right shoulder condition is remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis and posttraumatic stress disorder. The examiner will assess if OSA was caused or aggravated by these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating in excess of 30 percent for the service-connected left knee disability is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error and lack of VA treatment records.

The Veteran's disability rating for postoperative residuals of a closed left femoral shaft fracture with residual pain and hip disability was restored to 20 percent effective March 8, 2021. The ratings for the other conditions were denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to issues being inextricably intertwined with the character of discharge determination. The Veteran's mental state at the time of misconduct is also under examination.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with obesity as an intermediate step. The decision also grants service connection for obesity as a substantial factor in causing the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar and cervical spine are being remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ is directed to obtain an addendum medical opinion that addresses the extent of flareups experienced by the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is directly related to an injury sustained during military service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left foot and right foot, as these issues are being addressed in a separate appeal under a different docket number.