Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for a low back disorder, to include degenerative arthritis, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor. Other claims were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral elbow and shoulder disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions that did not consider the Veteran's lay statements.

The Board denied service connection for a right lower extremity neurological disorder, including restless leg syndrome, and granted ratings of 20 percent for the Veteran's right knee disability based on limitation of flexion from April 27, 2016 to December 23, 2021, as well as for right knee instability and a meniscus tear during the same period.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the right knee scar disability and remanded issues related to increased ratings for knee and thigh disabilities as well as service connection for a lower leg calf disorder.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar condition, to include spinal stenosis. The other issues were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for tarsal tunnel syndrome of the left and right lower extremities, bilateral feet disorder, hypertension, bladder disorder, and headache syndrome. The remaining claims were remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a left hand disability and initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder degenerative arthritis and bilateral hearing loss. However, the Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for dry eye syndrome.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and increased ratings for degenerative arthritis with spondylosis of the cervical spine and right shoulder tendinitis.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD and a 50 percent rating for TMJD, effective May 23, 2021. The claim for FSAD was denied, while service connection for a lumbar spine disorder was granted.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a skin disability, lumbar spine disability, and osteoarthritis of the right wrist to correct pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hemorrhoids, and bilateral knee osteoarthritis with patellar instability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for higher-level review of the denials of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertensive vascular disease, and degenerative arthritis of the spine.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating and service connection as they require further development, including a pre-decisional hearing notice and adequate medical examinations.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for service connection of left knee osteoarthritis with limitation of flexion, subluxation and lateral instability, right knee osteoarthritis with limitation of extension, and a 70 percent rating for major depressive disorder (MDD) during the review period.

The Board denied service connection for asbestosis and bilateral hearing loss, and remanded the claim for a low back condition due to insufficient evidence.

The Board remands the claims for an initial increased rating and a compensable rating for left knee conditions to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the claim for a medical addendum opinion to determine if the Veteran's cervical intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis is related to service and whether it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral metatarsalgia, plantar fasciitis, tinea pedis, right knee ACL repair with degenerative arthritis, and a 50 percent evaluation for migraine headaches.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including a right ankle disorder, degenerative arthritis with low back pain, Scheuermann's disease of the lumbar spine, a right shoulder disorder, a left shoulder disorder, tendinitis, and hypogonadism, as there was no evidence of current diagnoses related to these conditions during the appeal period.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder degenerative arthritis and strain, as the evidence did not support a higher rating.