Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right hip osteoarthritis, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to develop evidence needed for a TDIU claim, including information about the Veteran's educational and occupational background.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including history of ACL, joint osteoarthritis and meniscus tear, is granted with a 10 percent rating for the entire appeal period from January 11, 2018, to the present.

The Veteran's TDIU claim has been dismissed because his combined rating is now at 100% due to service-connected disabilities, making the TDIU claim moot.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, finding that his current condition is related to his in-service duties and injuries.

The Veteran's right shoulder osteoarthritis is granted a 30 percent rating since September 14, 2021. However, the left shoulder osteoarthritis remains denied.,An increased rating for residuals of a myocardial infarction and ischemic heart disease is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various knee and ankle conditions, as well as degenerative arthritis of the spine with spondylolisthesis, were denied. The evidence did not show that any of these conditions warranted a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms and functional limitations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for shrapnel wound residuals of the left and right thighs have been denied. The left thigh condition remains at a maximum 40 percent rating, while the right thigh conditions are also denied with specific periods having no higher ratings.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for major depressive disorder, service connection for hearing loss, and initial compensable rating for right-hand osteoarthritis were denied. The appeal for service connection for a left hand condition was also denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back injury and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding that new evidence supports the claim and resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral knee conditions as secondary to a service-connected disability due to insufficient evidence addressing direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of left and right knee degenerative arthritis as secondary to residuals, fracture left big toe due to procedural issues in the modernized appeal system.

The Board has granted service connection for low back degenerative disc disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left hip strain, and left knee degenerative arthritis with left knee strain, all secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left ankle disability.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a respiratory disability (emphysema) was dismissed. The rating for bilateral pes planus with osteoarthritis of the midfoot was restored to 50 percent effective June 1, 2020. The TDIU claim is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right ankle disabilities are currently rated as 10 percent disabling each, but the evidence does not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion.

The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbar spine, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, urinary incontinence, left knee disability, right knee disability, and erectile dysfunction are granted. The Veteran is also remanded to obtain relevant medical records prior to the AOJ decision on appeal.

The Veteran's rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder was denied, and service connection for a left knee disorder was also denied. The effective dates for TDIU and DEA were remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and evaluation due to insufficient evidence in some areas, particularly regarding the Veteran's cervical condition. The mood disorder case is also being remanded.