Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, specifically the issues of hypertension as secondary to PTSD and right knee strain, osteoarthritis (limitation of flexion). As a result, the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee condition, including degenerative arthritis, finding that it had its onset during service and continues to persist.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors and the need for additional medical examinations. The issues of service connection for various conditions, including right knee osteoarthritis, left knee condition, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), left hip condition, hearing loss, and cervical degenerative joint disease, will be reconsidered.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection due to a pre-decisional error in not obtaining an adequate VA medical opinion prior to the October 2019 rating decision on appeal. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence and clarification of his claims.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 40 percent from April 7, 2014, to October 31, 2014, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter. The rating for bladder incontinence remains at 40 percent after January 8, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for eligibility for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to her inability to use assistive devices as a normal mode of locomotion.

The Veteran's claims for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to December 3, 2019 and basic eligibility to DEA based on permanent and total disability status prior to December 3, 2019 are being remanded due to the AOJ's failure to refer these matters to the VA Director of Compensation and Pension for a determination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of appropriate examinations and documentation regarding attempts to conduct those examinations. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, left knee disability, left hip disability, and spine disability.

The Veteran's thoracic spine strain with degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has remanded this issue.,The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral syndrome is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has also remanded this issue. The Board has also remanded claims for service connection for left knee disability and neck disability.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for left and right hip osteoarthritis were dismissed due to a procedural defect, as the Veteran did not file a VA Form 9 in the legacy review system or properly opt into the modernized review system.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee condition and a right shoulder condition, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are linked to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and rating consideration due to incomplete or unclear information regarding the Veteran's range of motion.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions provided for the Veteran's bilateral feet, left ankle, left hip, and lumbar spine were inadequate. The claims are being remanded to obtain a new and adequate VA opinion to determine whether these disabilities were caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for hearing loss was dismissed.,Service connection for sleep apnea, left ankle gout, right ankle gout, left foot gout, and right foot gout were granted as secondary to hypertension.,Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine was granted as secondary to residual fracture of the left ankle and bilateral knee degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran is seeking earlier effective dates for various service-connected conditions, but the Board finds that no such effective dates are warranted based on the evidence of record.,For his back disability, the Veteran seeks an earlier effective date due to CUE in a March 2012 rating decision. The Board found no clear and unmistakable error.

The Board has restored a 30 percent rating for osteoarthritis of the left knee, including the fracture of the left tibial plateau, effective July 1, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for degenerative arthritis of the cervical and lumbar spine with IVDS, as well as radiculopathy in multiple extremities, have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation based on the severity of his disabilities.,The Veteran was granted 30 percent, 40 percent, and 20 percent evaluations for middle radicular group radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, right upper extremity, and lower extremities respectively. However, these evaluations are still denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as a right knee disability. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities are rated at the maximum allowed under current criteria. The appeal for higher ratings is denied.

The Veteran's right foot condition, characterized by a nondisplaced fracture of the cuboid with degenerative arthritis, is rated at 30 percent since January 24, 2020.