Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly assess the Veteran's hip disabilities, and thus remands the claims for further development.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU from August 1, 2018 to September 9, 2019 due to his service-connected disabilities making him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's right great toe disability is granted a 20 percent rating. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder and PTSD, is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a right shoulder condition and has denied service connection for this condition. The cases related to left ankle strain, right ankle strain, right knee condition, and left knee condition are all remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's cervical spine disabilities, left and right upper extremity radiculopathies are granted service connection. His bilateral hearing loss is not shown to meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development on several issues, including service connection claims and disability rating determinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions and consideration of lay contentions. The Veteran is scheduled for VA examinations to address his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he explicitly withdrew his claims for effective dates prior to September 16, 2016, and other related issues.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine osteoarthritis and cervical strain, but has remanded the issues of traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine and shoulders due to incomplete evaluations.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD has been denied. The issues of increased ratings for PTSD and cervical spine degenerative arthritis, as well as the TDIU claim, have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a retrospective opinion regarding Correia measurements at the time of the April 2015 VA examination and scheduling an orthopedic examination to determine the current severity of any left knee instability.

The Veteran's lumbar disability and service-connected PTSD, tinnitus, and hearing loss have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. His TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted a 10 percent rating. The hip, headache, and GERD issues are REMANDED for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for right knee strain with degenerative arthritis, hypertension, and total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) due to incomplete VA examinations and unclear opinions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, and there are no exceptional circumstances warranting extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's initial rating for GERD is denied as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. The Veteran's back disability is also denied, with an initial rating of 10 percent prior to September 29, 2020, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter. Service connection was granted for tinnitus but denied for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, left knee disability, sleep apnea, and ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's left hip and lumbar spine disabilities are found to be at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected left ankle disability. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and increased ratings for his degenerative arthritis of the spine with spondylolisthesis due to inadequate medical opinions and inextricability with the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's low back disability, including degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and bilateral lumbar radiculopathy, is granted as service connected due to a motor vehicle accident during active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a back condition, erectile dysfunction, and chronic kidney disease due to new evidence received since previous decisions.,Service connection is being considered based on direct evidence rather than any presumption or secondary theory.