Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection on all issues due to the Veteran's passing during the appeal process.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for traumatic brain injury and low back osteoarthritis due to a failure to provide a VA examination, as required by McLendon v. Nicholson.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including total replacement and flexion/extension limitations, is granted with a 60% rating effective April 1, 2020. Service connection for left knee osteoarthritis is also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, right hip degenerative arthritis, left ankle osteoarthritis, right ankle osteoarthritis, and lumbosacral spine arthritis. These conditions are considered to be directly related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the Veteran's August 2021 request to review the June 2021 rating decision was improperly docketed, as it did not address his left elbow disability. The RO has not issued a proper decision regarding this issue.

The appeal for service connection for major depressive disorder is dismissed.,Service connection for mild tibiotalar osteoarthritis, left ankle is granted based on resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective July 11, 2018. A TDIU is also granted.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease, right shin splint, and left shin splint as they were improperly docketed in the Direct Review docket. The issues will be adjudicated in a separate Hearing Lane decision.

The Board has determined that the AOJ made errors in their duty to assist and remanded the case for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD warrants a rating in excess of 70 percent, but the Board found that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions, as well as his acquired psychiatric disability. The AOJ did not provide a VA examination or opinion in these cases prior to making its decisions.

The Veteran is granted a 20 percent disability rating for his right knee meniscal tear and degenerative arthritis from June 27, 2016 to October 30, 2019.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for the right knee disability from October 31, 2019 is denied.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the Veteran's service connection claims due to a failure to file proper appeal forms within one year of final denial.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, and if so, whether it would have occurred without the aggravation.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on several knee and lower extremity conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective February 16, 2018, due to her service-connected disabilities preventing her from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA medical examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back condition. The examiner's opinion is found to be insufficient and requires further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a back condition is being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his acquired psychiatric condition is being remanded as the proper effective date is based on when the condition arose, not when he filed his initial claim.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left ankle fracture with degenerative arthritis are granted. The right ankle disability claim is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it began during service.,Service connection for a left elbow disorder is denied due to lack of evidence.