Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are rated at 30 percent, but the Board has granted a 60 percent rating for each knee starting from October 1, 2019. The case is remanded due to issues with entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings and TDIU for degenerative arthritis of the thoracic and lumbar spine with thoracic spine strain, bilateral sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and chronic epididymitis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to April 15, 2011 did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment.

The Board has ordered the case remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine, left lower extremity sciatica, and right lower extremity sciatica. The issues of increased ratings remain pending.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition, finding that the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis did not begin during or as a result of his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right great toe disability is causally related to his service-connected left ankle disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for his service connection claims for right hip osteoarthritis, limitation of motion, and limitation of extension. The effective date currently assigned is June 13, 2022.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine and right knee osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to active duty service. The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss were denied.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine and tension headaches, along with lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, prevented her from securing or following substantially gainful employment outside of a protected environment. The Board granted TDIU on an extra-schedular basis effective December 20, 2023.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been granted, and he is now entitled to service connection for this condition.,The Veteran's petitions to reopen the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left ankle and right ankle have also been granted.

The Veteran's increased disability ratings for lumbago, bilateral pes planus, and right knee osteoarthritis have been denied due to failure to attend scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 20 percent rating for his right shoulder disability is denied. The Board finds that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating in the year prior to June 7, 2018. The case is remanded for further development regarding entitlement to increased ratings and TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, primarily his left foot disability and back disability with associated radiculopathy of both lower extremities, prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 22, 2023. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis effective April 10, 2018.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 60 percent since April 29, 2021. The cervical spine and glaucoma claims are denied as secondary to service-connected disabilities. Service connection for a lumbar spine disability remains denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical DDD, right shoulder degenerative arthritis, and left shoulder degenerative arthritis as there is no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his back and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion on functional loss during flare-ups and a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's June 6, 2012 claim for service connection of insomnia reasonably raised a claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder in addition to a claim of service connection for insomnia. The effective date is granted as June 6, 2012.,The earliest date as of which it is factually ascertainable that symptoms of left lower extremity radiculopathy had occurred is March 5, 2014. The effective date is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right ankle strain and right knee osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had their onset in service.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right ankle conditions have not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and a TDIU prior to August 25, 2022 was denied due to the severity, frequency, and duration of his PTSD symptoms not meeting the criteria for a higher rating.