Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has determined that there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error and requires additional development, including an addendum VA opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral foot disability.

Service connection is granted for a lumbar disorder and a right ankle disability.,Service connection is denied for a left ankle disability.

The Veteran's initial ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and radiculopathies of both lower extremities have been granted, with effective dates from December 3, 2020, to October 7, 2024.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis is related to his active duty military service, including continuous symptoms since onset. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) for aid and attendance due to his service-connected conditions, including PTSD, left lower extremity neurologic disorder, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar spinal osteoarthritis, and bowel incontinence.

The Board dismissed the appeal for sleep apnea. The right shoulder disorder and gastrointestinal disabilities (GERD, IBS, ulcerative colitis) are granted as secondary to service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability, tinnitus, left knee osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for gout, bilateral foot and osteoarthritis of the left knee. The conditions are found to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his neck and back disabilities due to inadequate pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors in the March 2018 and March 2019 VA examinations. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it was raised during the course of the increased rating claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the severity of his service-connected disabilities. The effective date claim is denied as the Veteran is already service connected from August 5, 2020.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of ankylosis or incapacitating episodes. A separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy in each lower extremity is granted.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for cervical spine degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left plantar fasciitis with calcaneal spur due to inadequate medical examination and opinion in August 2021.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left wrist disability, finding that it was presumed aggravated by service and there is no clear and unmistakable evidence of its increase in severity due to natural progression.

The Veteran was granted an effective date of May 15, 2023 for his total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus and lumbar spine strain have been granted service connection. The issue of diabetes mellitus is remanded for further review, as is the right knee pain and cervical spine injury.

The Veteran's left elbow degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral strain, and eczema are all granted as service-connected.,Service connection is also granted for right ankle degenerative joint disease with a rating of 30 percent.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the January 6, 2016 rating decision denying service connection for left knee osteoarthritis. The Veteran's claim was subsequently granted with effective date of July 13, 2022.

The Board found that the severance of service connection for left knee osteoarthritis and limitation of flexion was proper, and the reduction in the schedular rating from 20 percent to 10 percent for left knee chondromalacia with spurring and patellofemoral syndrome was improper. The appeal is denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and hip degenerative arthritis, finding that these conditions were incurred in service due to wear and tear from military activities.