Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis with meniscal tear as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral knee and low back disabilities on a secondary basis due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, denied increased ratings for the right foot stress fracture and scars, restored a 40% rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, and denied earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA. The Board remanded claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disability and increased evaluations for the low back and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis with IVDS, to include as secondary to service-connected thoracolumbar spine and left shoulder disabilities, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, type II, right hip osteoarthritis, left hip osteoarthritis, and right knee disability. These conditions are causally related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities with obesity as an intermediate step.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine and left lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to a back disability due to missing records and an inadequate VA examination.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for service connection and ratings for various conditions, denied higher ratings, and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The appeal for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder was dismissed due to an untimely Notice of Disagreement and lack of a proper claim.

The Board denied service connection for pneumonia and pneumonia residuals, while remanding the claims for service connection for migraine headaches, cervical strain (claimed as degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine), radiculopathy in both upper extremities.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for a lumbar spine disorder, bilateral lumbar radiculopathy, and bilateral shin splints.

The Board granted service connection for left ankle collateral ligament sprain and left shoulder strain with an effective date of February 2, 2020. Service connection was also granted for headaches. The Board denied earlier effective dates for bilateral shin splints and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, but granted a 10 percent rating for bilateral shin splints.

The appeal is remanded to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error by the Agency of Original Jurisdiction before the September 2020 rating decision on appeal was issued.

The Board remands the claims for a new VA examination to address the severity of the appellant's service-connected right knee, lumbar spine, and right-hand disabilities during relevant periods on appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected back disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, effective from May 12, 2021.

The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension was dismissed, while the claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, bilateral pes planus, left foot cuts, right foot cuts, fibromyalgia, left knee osteoarthritis, a right knee disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea were remanded for further development.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, an evaluation greater than 30 percent for residuals of right foot surgery, a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to a service-connected disability, and eligibility for special monthly compensation.

The Board granted service connection for total right and left knee replacements due to degenerative arthritis, which was presumed to have been incurred during the Veteran's active military service.

The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's low back disability, effective August 4, 2023.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for degenerative arthritis in the right and left knee (flexion) but denied a compensable rating for degenerative arthritis in the right and left knee (extension).