Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the current conditions are not related to service due to lack of evidence of a chronic condition during service or post-service continuity.

The Board has denied the Veteran's initial claim for an initial compensable evaluation for her bilateral eye disorder and has remanded her claims of service connection for left knee, right knee, and left hip disorders.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA eligibility claims for the period prior to December 30, 2009 were denied due to insufficient evidence showing that his service-connected conditions alone rendered him unemployable.,The Veteran had multiple service-connected disabilities including degenerative arthritis of both knees and detrusor instability. However, the Board found that these conditions combined with nonservice-connected factors such as bladder issues contributed to his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's right ankle and right knee disabilities have been evaluated based on their current functional limitations. The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to predecisional duty-to-assist errors, including inadequate medical opinions and missed VA examinations. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition is being returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, specifically regarding the evaluation of her service-connected left knee and foot disabilities. The VA examinations are inadequate as they did not consider the ameliorative effects of medication.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with scoliosis is granted, and an effective date of August 23, 2022, is established.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral spine degenerative arthritis and right hip degenerative arthritis, status post total hip arthroplasty, secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities due to incomplete etiological opinions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions including hypoglycemia, sinusitis, left foot pes planus, right foot pes planus, right foot plantar fasciitis, left ankle pain, left hip osteoarthritis, left knee sprain, bradycardia, dry eye, hernia, hypercholesterolemia, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinnitus, a recurrent lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension due to potential errors in the examination reports.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder.,The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus is granted based on in-service noise exposure and current diagnosis.,The Veteran's Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is granted due to presumptive service connection for exposure at Fort McClellan, Alabama.,The Veteran's status post total shoulder replacement, to include degenerative arthritis, is granted as incurred in service.,The Veteran's scar, residual right shoulder surgery, is granted as it is related to his now service-connected status post total shoulder replacement.

The Veteran's service-connected ankles, knees, and back have been granted initial 20 percent disability ratings.,Service connection has also been established for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the service-connected lumbar spine condition.

The Board has determined that there were errors in the VA medical opinions related to the Veteran's heart disorder and right hand disorders, and thus these claims are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral flatfeet with degenerative arthritis prior to July 31, 2020 is denied. The evidence does not support the assignment of a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis of the right ankle was granted with an initial evaluation of 10 percent effective September 17, 2018. The Board has now granted a higher rating but is remanding to determine if an even higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions were granted effective from July 1, 2020.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of representation.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their death. The claims for increased ratings and individual unemployability have all been dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD is granted, and the appeal to restore a 40% rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc other than IVDS, central canal stenosis, and scoliosis prior to June 1, 2024 is dismissed.