Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected CAD likely prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since July 27, 1998. The Board granted a TDIU for this period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a spine disorder and an eye disorder due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The AOJ will consider any evidence submitted during the higher-level review process.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder and cervical spine, finding that there is no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee and left knee disabilities are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected mechanical lumbar spine strain status post lumbar disc arthroplasty with degenerative arthritis is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of a 40 percent rating for his service-connected mechanical lumbar spine strain status post lumbar disc arthroplasty with degenerative arthritis is also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine and bilateral hip disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 20 percent for the lumbar spine disability, and separate compensable ratings (10 percent) were assigned for each hip strain.

The Veteran's initial ratings for degenerative arthritis with other intervertebral disc displacement of the lumbosacral region, LLE radiculopathy affecting the femoral nerve, and LLE paresthesia meralgia have been denied as they do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 20 percent rating for cervical spine degenerative arthritis and strain (neck disability) effective February 1, 2022. The appeal regarding a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left leg disability, finding no current diagnosis of such condition and concluding that any symptoms were related to his right knee.

The Veteran's GERD and Degenerative Arthritis of the Spine were both denied as they do not warrant a higher evaluation based on the current evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with degenerative arthritis and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are etiologically related to his active service. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a rating of 50 percent, effective December 6, 2021. The claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis in the back and bronchial asthma are remanded.

The Veteran's low back disability and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities have been granted a 20 percent rating, but no higher. The current ratings are based on the evidence showing forward flexion greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to their death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these appeals.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for asthma and left knee degenerative arthritis due to insufficient evidence in the record, including a lack of adequate VA examinations. The AOJ is directed to attempt to obtain active duty service treatment records from September 1983 to December 1987 and schedule a VA examination to address the claimed conditions.

The Board has dismissed the appeal because a spurious rating decision was issued in March 2021, which is prohibited by law.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of June 28, 2019 for the grant of service connection for left hip osteoarthritis status post total replacement.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine was granted with an effective date of November 30, 2017.

The Veteran's left knee condition, including osteoarthritis and symptomatic semilunar cartilage removal, is rated at a minimum of 10 percent. The Veteran was granted a separate rating for the symptomatic semilunar cartilage removal.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis, left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), and right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) has been dismissed as the issues have already been adjudicated in a separate Board decision.,The Veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates for service connection of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) associated with lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis has also been dismissed.