Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's left hip degenerative arthritis is rated at a 10 percent rating since February 7, 2019.

The Veteran's request for an increased rating for his service-connected right knee osteoarthritis was denied. However, he received a 10 percent rating for limitation of extension and instability of the right knee in the October 2022 decision. The appeal is denied as there are no past-due benefits to award attorney fees.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease, right hip osteoarthritis, and right knee degenerative arthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle sprain with degenerative arthritis and left total knee arthroplasty with residual surgical scar associated with left knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative joint disease.

The appeal for service connection for a neck condition, including claims of neck rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative arthritis with spinal stenosis of the cervical spine, is dismissed.

The Veteran's low back disability and bilateral foot disabilities are granted effective from August 1, 2005.

The Veteran's service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to the service-connected disabilities of degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine with spinal fusion and bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, is denied because there is no medical evidence that his obesity was caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, including degenerative arthritis, as well as a low back disability. The evidence is in relative equipoise that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and right knee strain due to a duty to assist error. Additional development is needed, including obtaining a supplemental VA opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including major depressive disorder with anxious distress and mild neurocognitive disorder, migraines, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis and lumbosacral strain (sciatica), right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right hip degenerative arthritis, and left hip degenerative arthritis have been denied. The decision does not address service connection for specific conditions like obstructive sleep apnea, gout, or diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's back disability is related to service, including repetitive strain during service.

The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for lumbar spondylosis with multilevel disc bulge, degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome, and stenosis, status post-dislocation of the coccyx (back disability), and a 10 percent rating for sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity effective April 12, 2016.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inadequate notification of scheduled VA examinations and failure to obtain all relevant private treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed as he withdrew his claim for an effective date prior to March 20, 2008, for the grant of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with osteoarthritis and right hemilaminectomy and discectomy. The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, the minimum compensable rating. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or other factors.

The Board has remanded the claims for left knee, right knee, and right ankle conditions due to a lack of medical nexus opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service records are also requested as part of the remand.

The Board found that the Veteran's remaining service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the denial of his appeal for restoration of TDIU.

The Board dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection of back disability, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, and lumbar spine surgical scar as they were not final decisions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis. These conditions are deemed to be related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right and left knee total arthroplasties, as well as his degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, were denied. The Board found that the current assigned disability ratings adequately reflected the functional impairment caused by these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, vertigo, and pneumonia are denied.