Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current neck disability (degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine) is aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder glenohumeral joint dislocation with arthritis, and thus grants service connection for this condition as secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted for the period beginning May 1, 2020, as he has a combined disability rating of 100% due to service-connected disabilities and was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand two separate issues related to clothing allowances for the Veteran. The first issue involves retroactive clothing allowances from 2012 through 2019, and the second concerns a clothing allowance for the year 2020. These decisions are based on missing records that need to be obtained by VA.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance was denied as he did not meet the criteria for such benefits due to his service-connected disabilities. The Board found that the Veteran could perform activities of daily living with minor assistance or reminders from his spouse, and there is no evidence indicating he required regular aid and attendance.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to issues with obtaining inpatient records and addressing certain medical opinions related to service connection for a right leg disability.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee and right knee, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, finding that his current conditions preexisted service and were not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board has remanded this issue for further development. The issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure secondary to service-connected lumbar spine degenerative arthritis are also being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, bilateral pes planus, Barlow syndrome, and sinusitis. Service connection was reopened based on new evidence received since the prior denial.

The Veteran's right ankle tendonitis and degenerative arthritis are currently rated at 20 percent effective November 29, 2018.,The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a rating higher than 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc syndrome due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine with spinal stenosis and foraminal stenosis, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment starting from September 19, 2020. The Board granted a TDIU rating effective as of that date.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of bilateral hands, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis, finding that his current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied in a February 2019 rating decision. The appeal was improperly docketed and dismissed due to non-compliance with essential claims-processing rules.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disorder, diagnosed as cervical spine degenerative arthritis, on a presumptive basis due to continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim due to inadequate medical opinions and inextricability with another pending claim.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection to left knee degenerative arthritis has been dismissed due to the appellant (Veteran) withdrawing their appeal.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request for readjudication of his service connection claims for eczema, right knee osteoarthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The AOJ is now required to address these claims on their merits.

The Board has determined that the AOJ did not obtain all relevant evidence prior to the September 2020 rating decision, and thus remands are necessary for additional development.