Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ankle, cervical spine, and left hand disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or disease that led to current disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with its previous directives, including obtaining a new medical examination for the Veteran's right knee disability. The examiner is asked to provide estimated range-of-motion measurements for flare-ups and reconcile any discrepancy in findings from April 2022 and June 2022 VA knee examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for further development.,The effective dates for increased disability ratings are denied as there is no factual basis for an earlier date.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of a left orbital fracture is denied as there is no evidence of visual dysfunction resulting from the injury.,For the period from September 7, 2012 to June 23, 2023, the Veteran's lumbar spine condition does not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent. After this date, it does not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is related to service, and remanded for further examination and opinion regarding other issues. The remaining claims are also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for ratings in excess of 10 percent for his right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not show any limitation of motion more nearly approximating flexion limited to 30 degrees or extension limited to 10 degrees.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent for instability, and the Board has remanded her claims regarding bilateral ear conditions (hearing loss), tinnitus, and right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his back condition and migraine headaches, as well as a TDIU claim, are being remanded due to the need for new examinations considering the Veteran's limited mobility and recent hospitalization.

The Veteran's cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities were found to not meet the criteria for increased ratings, with the most severe forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine being limited to 40 degrees and that of the cervical spine limited to 20 degrees.

The Veteran's claim for an extraschedular total disability rating due to individual unemployability prior to August 25, 2014 was denied as he did not meet the criteria for such a rating based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher disability rating for his lumbar spine disability and left leg numbness, as well as his TDIU claim due to new evidence being associated with the case file.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and IVDS is rated at 20 percent, effective June 9, 2023. The ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy remain denied.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of September 17, 2012 for the grant of a TDIU and DEA benefits due to service-connected disabilities that rendered the Veteran unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing due to their inability to result in loss of use of his lower extremities.

The Veteran's disability ratings for PTSD were restored to 70 percent effective September 1, 2020. The other conditions had their ratings reduced.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed substantially or materially to his death from a motor vehicle accident. The VA is required to obtain another medical opinion to address these issues.

The Veteran's lumbar osteoarthritis is granted as secondary to service-connected lumbar strain. The right shoulder tendinitis and bursitis are denied due to lack of evidence linking it to the service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine was denied. The Board also found that he is not entitled to TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities, except for mental health conditions and back disability which affected his ability to work prior to February 28, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from May 12, 2021 to May 11, 2022.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for left and right hip disabilities due to a duty to assist error in the June 2020 VA opinion. The Veteran's bilateral hip disability is being evaluated based on secondary service connection.