Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his neck and back conditions, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and diabetic neuropathy, render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for retroactive CRDP compensation benefits is remanded due to an error in the AOJ correspondence, which did not include a new Audit Error Worksheet for the period from September 1, 2001 to January 2004. The Veteran should contact DFAS to obtain this information and have his claim readjudicated.

The Veteran's back disorder and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve are not rated higher than currently, with some issues remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, including a meniscal tear and osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not caused by his in-service injury during basic training.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative osteoarthritis is found to have started during service and has continued since then, granting the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's low back condition, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, is granted service connection secondary to his service-connected left knee condition.,The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus is granted service connection due to in-service hazardous noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than July 24, 2017 for service connection of degenerative arthritis, thoracolumbar spine and right ear hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence that the Veteran filed a claim prior to this date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was denied multiple times before being granted effective from March 22, 2021. The effective date is set at this new determination based on the evidence of record as of that date.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are granted as secondary to service-connected radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and he is awarded a TDIU due to his combined disability rating.

The Veteran's back and left knee disabilities are remanded for further examination to determine if they were aggravated by his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's appeals for TDIU and a higher rating for lower back degenerative arthritis have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims as they are now moot.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, and his back disability and right shoulder disability are each rated at 20 percent. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of a left shoulder and right knee disabilities.

The Board has dismissed all claims of service connection for various conditions as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Veteran's service-connected tension headaches are denied for a compensable rating prior to November 4, 2019, and more than 30 percent thereafter.,Service connection for left and right knee disabilities is remanded due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee and right hip conditions, finding that these conditions are more likely than not related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for asthma, degenerative arthritis (also claimed as rheumatoid arthritis), and left hip condition have been denied due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,There is no indication in the record that the Veteran was exposed to any specific hazards or substances during his military service that could be linked to his current conditions.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided for the Veteran's cervical spine, left shoulder, left knee, and lower back disabilities were inadequate due to a lack of information on where pain begins during motion. The Board therefore orders remand for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to October 22, 2021 and increased ratings for CLL and left wrist osteoarthritis were denied. The Veteran was not granted an earlier effective date for his service connection claims due to lack of formal or informal claims within a year prior to the filing dates. His CLL is rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 7703, with no symptoms noted during the appeal period. His left wrist osteoarthritis is rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Codes 5003-5215.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for several service-connected conditions, including bilateral dry eye disability, migraine headache disability, left shoulder osteoarthritis, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left hip strain, and left hip disability. The Board dismissed the appeal due to the withdrawal of these claims.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. His left knee disability, characterized by limitation of flexion, is granted a 40 percent rating.