Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, citing receipt of a 100% rating and believing he is properly rated.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded as there was an error in the duty to assist and AOJ errors.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for increased ratings and service connection, resulting in the dismissal of all appeals.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, and degenerative arthritis of the spine. The decision is based on a finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to military service.

Your appeal has been dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of your appeal. The Board cannot issue a decision on the underlying claim(s) at this time.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection and initial ratings were denied as there was no evidence of an increase in disability during the one-year prior to his November 11, 2020 claim.,The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for increased ratings were also denied as there was no evidence of an increase in disability during the one-year prior to his November 11, 2020 claim.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection was dismissed because the claims were not filed in response to a rating decision, which occurred more than one year prior.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left knee condition is secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The new examination must address both causation and aggravation.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to October 26, 2020 of a 30% increased rating for left knee disability is denied as the June 2011 rating decision was not appealed within one year and the earliest effective date assignable is October 26, 2020.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss per VA standards.,The restoration of the 20 percent rating for herniated lumbar disc L5-S1 and compression fracture T12 with degenerative arthritis from May 7, 2019, to the present was granted.

The Board has dismissed the appeal regarding earlier effective dates and initial ratings for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, as well as right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy.

The Board dismissed the appeal regarding service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine because the appellant requested to withdraw his appeal.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right inferior pubic ramus stress fracture residuals, which resulted in osteoarthritis of the right hip. The decision is based on direct service connection due to an injury during active duty training.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted, with effective dates of August 12, 2019. He is now entitled to a disability rating of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The appeal for service connection for PTSD is dismissed as the Veteran's claim has been fully granted. The appeals for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, left shoulder strain, and a left knee condition are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection was dismissed due to their passing away, as the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Board has determined that there was a duty to assist error and transferred the claim to the Supplemental Claim decision review option for additional development. The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is currently rated at 20 percent, effective June 16, 2020. The Board finds remand necessary due to inadequate examination reports and failure to consider functional ankylosis.

The Veteran's left knee joint osteoarthritis is rated at a minimum of 10 percent, as it does not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on limitation of motion or other diagnostic codes. The current rating accurately reflects the disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings, service connection, and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits must be remanded due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records from Social Security Administration (SSA), as well as errors in assessing the Veteran's employment status and his assertions regarding secondary service connection.