Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's right wrist arthritis is found to have begun during service and is considered etiologically related to in-service injury, warranting service connection for accrued benefits purposes.

The Veteran's left hip osteoarthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy was granted a 20 percent disability rating effective March 25, 2022. The Veteran contends for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's hip and knee disabilities have been granted initial evaluations, but the Board has determined that additional examinations are needed to determine appropriate disability ratings.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for degenerative disc disease other than IVDS, degenerative arthritis, spinal stenosis, L5-S1 disc herniation has been withdrawn by the Veteran through his authorized representative. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's back disability and hemorrhoids have been granted service connection. The left bicep tear claim has been denied, and the initial PTSD rating remains at 30 percent.,Further evaluation of the right ankle, left ankle, bilateral pes planus, and hemorrhoids is needed due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for an initial compensable rating evaluation for hearing loss, hypertension, left knee scar, right knee tricompartmental degenerative arthritis, arthritis - hands, fingers, shoulder, hips, knees and right clavicle, insomnia, low back pain, numbness in arms, or right shoulder condition.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for higher ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spinal stenosis and right knee degenerative arthritis, effectively dismissing these issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and will consider evidence not previously considered, including complaints of left knee pain and diagnoses from December 2011. The Veteran's left knee disability is being evaluated for service connection and secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder condition is not related to his service and remands the case for further development.,The Veteran contends his current right shoulder condition is due to heavy lifting during service, but there is no evidence of a pre-existing injury or chronic condition in service. The VA examination did not find any link between his current condition and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's request for higher-level review was timely submitted, and thus the appeal is considered valid. The VA denied service connection for various conditions in a previous rating decision, but the Board found that the Veteran's submission of his request for higher-level review was timely.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left foot/ankle injury, finding that his current diagnoses are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent, effective from August 30, 2021 to October 31, 2021. The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis (claimed as low back condition) is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's motion to revise or reverse a March 7, 2019 rating decision for bilateral hearing loss and a May 16, 2017 rating decision for left shoulder dislocation. The March 7, 2019 decision did not err in assigning a 20% disability rating for bilateral hearing loss as the evidence showed it was not at a level warranting a higher rating. The May 16, 2017 decision did not assign a separate rating for left shoulder dislocation due to internal inconsistency and conflicting evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD, allergic rhinitis, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and herniated disc at L4-L5, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, bilateral fallen arches, neurological condition of other systems, and bilateral hearing loss are all service-connected. However, a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a left elbow disorder is denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability during or approximate to the appeal period.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on in-service noise exposure and credible testimony from the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions and assigned ratings effective February 12, 2014. The appellant is eligible for direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the April 2020 rating decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches, cervical spine disability, and right upper extremity radiculopathy, have prevented her from securing or following substantially gainful employment since July 11, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for compensable evaluations for various foot conditions and hypertension are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, right and left foot degenerative arthritis, right and left hallux rigidus, and hypertension.

The Board denied service connection for left hip degenerative arthritis, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus between the condition and active service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal because the September 2024 VA Form 10182 was an impermissible concurrent election and docketed at the Board in error.