Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The appeal to reduce the rating for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome from 40 percent to 20 percent is dismissed as no reduction has been effectuated.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis. The conditions are found to be related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The claims for these conditions are based on direct evidence of a nexus to service.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis has been rated at 10 percent from January 14, 2013, to October 21, 2020, and at 30 percent since October 21, 2020. The appeal is denied as the disability rating does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease, right shoulder strain, and osteoarthritis of the right shoulder as these conditions are not shown to be related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his left shoulder disability and service connection for a neurological disability as secondary to his left shoulder disability due to incomplete development of records.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the current conditions are at least as likely as not related to in-service knee pain and injuries.

The Board has found that new and relevant evidence has not been received to readjudicate the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for low back, right knee, left knee, and left knee instability disorders are REMANDED.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left hip condition is not service-connected due to lack of a causal link, and an additional opinion is needed to address whether any aggravation by his service-connected conditions exists.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, and will consider evidence not previously considered.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and a duty to assist error. The issues include right shoulder, left shoulder, bilateral foot, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, and lumbosacral strain.

The Board has granted a rating of 40 percent for sciatic neuropathy, left lower extremity, associated with left hip osteoarthritis with limited abduction. This decision is based on the Veteran's symptoms and medical examination findings.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his left ear hearing loss, incision scar posterior neck, and cervical spine disability are denied. The claim for service connection for TBI is remanded.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's rating for bilateral pes planus from 50% to 10% was improper and restored the original 50% rating effective November 1, 2022.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were denied as the appeals are legally prohibited.,No valid theory of entitlement was presented to enable an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, lumbar spine, and right drop foot disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The AOJ is required to obtain a VA examination and provide medical opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle disabilities have been granted a 20% rating, effective from the date of the decision. The cervical spine and lumbosacral spine disabilities remain at their current ratings.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a right lower extremity neurological disorder is denied. The RO granted an increased disability rating of 10 percent for GERD from June 24, 2022, and denied claims for increased ratings for dermatitis, back disability, left lower extremity sciatica, and knee strains.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis with meniscal tear, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are continuous since service and warrant presumptive service connection.