Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The appeals of the denial of service connection for tinnitus and cataracts are dismissed. The increased rating in excess of 30 percent for asthma is denied, while the issues of sleep apnea, left knee joint arthritis with painful motion (extension), and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to an in-service injury during active duty training (ADT).,The appeal for a higher initial rating for tinnitus was dismissed due to the Veteran not timely filing his Notice of Disagreement.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following any substantially gainful occupation, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including back pain and hand numbness, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from May 31, 2019.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left ankle conditions, as well as a right knee disability secondary to those conditions. The remand requires obtaining an adequate VA medical opinion that reconciles conflicting evidence of record.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions cause him to need the regular aid and attendance of another person to remain clean and presentable, and to protect him from the hazards and dangers incident to his daily environment. The Board has granted SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left triscaphe joint osteoarthritis and migraine variants due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's left hand disability is not considered related to service, while his migraines have been rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating.,Service connection for chronic myelogenous leukemia was granted, with the condition presumed to be related to service exposure to benzene.

The Veteran's anxiety and depressive disorders with panic attacks, as well as his cervical spine degenerative arthritis, are now rated at 70 percent effective May 5, 2015. The Board has granted an earlier effective date for the service connection of these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to decide the Veteran's claim of service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and thus remands the case.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, including degenerative arthritis and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, is related to his service in the Airborne units where he performed many jumps. Service connection for this condition is granted.,While the Veteran has a history of sinus symptoms, no current diagnosis of a separate sinus condition other than vasomotor rhinitis was found during the pendency of the claim. Therefore, service connection for a sinus condition (other than service-connected vasomotor rhinitis) is denied.,There are no scars on the Veteran's trunk as diagnosed or noted in his medical records. Service connection for a trunk scar is denied.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with bilateral knee scars during the pendency of the claim, and these were not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disorder, including degenerative arthritis of the spine with a compression fracture at T8-T9, lower extremity radiculopathy and DJD thoracic, is related to his military service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) with lumbosacral strain, spinal stenosis, and degenerative arthritis due to a lack of formal or informal claims within one year of the prior denial.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis with associated total knee replacement residuals and left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, right hip, and left hip disabilities.

The Veteran's reduction in rating for thoracolumbar spine scoliosis from 20 percent to 10 percent was not proper, and the 20 percent rating is restored.,The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for right lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee osteoarthritis, and bilateral plantar fasciitis remains pending.

The Board has dismissed all issues of entitlement to increased disability ratings for various conditions, including right knee and upper extremity disabilities as well as bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran withdrew his appeals prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right knee fracture with degenerative arthritis has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, requiring the VA to request private medical records related to the Veteran's left hip disability.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 50 percent rating, but an initial higher rating is denied.,Service connection for right and left knee disabilities (osteoarthritis) is granted.