Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for an earlier effective date and increased evaluation for a temporary 100% rating from March 14, 2022 due to right knee surgery. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for her lumbar spine disability, to include degenerative arthritis of the spine due to procedural errors and inadequate examination.

The Board has denied service connection for neck, back, right hip, and left hip disabilities as well as athlete's foot. The diagnoses were not established during active duty or due to in-service injury or disease.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis with chondromalacia patella with meniscal tear and right knee instability, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions began in service.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability, along with other disabilities, rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of April 1, 2020. She is granted a TDIU effective from that date.,Effective April 1, 2020, the Veteran also received SMC at the 's' rate due to having one service-connected disability rated as 100 percent disabling and additional disabilities independently rated at least 60 percent disabling.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, as well as her right and left foot disabilities. The conditions are related to symptoms she experienced during active duty.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis with abnormal curvature of the lumbar spine and left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in the physical loss or permanent loss of use of his hands or feet, nor does he have a severe burn injury. Therefore, he is ineligible for financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, left knee osteoarthritis, and hypertension do not render him in need of the regular aid and attendance of another person as a result of his service connected disabilities. Therefore, SMC based on the need for aid and attendance is denied.

The Veteran's right ankle tendonitis with degenerative arthritis has not manifested with marked limitation of motion or ankylosis, and therefore a higher disability rating is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused him to need regular aid and attendance, leading to a grant of SMC based on the need for aid and attendance. The issue of entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxious distress is granted as service-connected. The claims for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for GERD, higher ratings for lumbar spine and right wrist disabilities, and ED. The Veteran's ED is found to be caused by his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's residuals of stab wound are granted as service connection is established due to the current disability and in-service injury. The back condition claim is denied as there is no causal relationship between active service and the current diagnosis.,Service connection for a back condition is denied because the evidence does not establish an in-service event, disease or injury that caused the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, hypertension as secondary to PTSD is granted, and the Veteran is granted TDIU based on her service-connected PTSD. Osteoarthritis of the right knee is not related to service, but she is granted SMC due to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination for cervical spine disability and inextricably intertwined TDIU claim.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis, status post total arthroplasty, finding that his current condition is related to his military service. The effective date of this decision is not specified.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus granting TDIU.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of all appeals.

The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis due to inadequate opinion regarding whether a pre-existing low back disability existed prior to service and was aggravated by service.