Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations and opinions to address whether his claimed disabilities are related to service, particularly given his in-service exposures and symptoms.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for low back pain, finding that it is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left shoulder degenerative arthritis was denied. The Board has remanded the case to consider service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective October 6, 2021, but no earlier.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left hip condition, finding that his symptoms began during service and have persisted since. The Veteran's left knee condition is not considered secondary to his right knee condition.,The Veteran's left knee condition was found to be unrelated to his service-connected right knee arthritis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU beginning March 16, 2018. The right shoulder disorder and left wrist disorder claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's right hand, bilateral hip, and bilateral foot disabilities are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral chondromalacia is granted as service-connected.

The Board has remanded the cases for further clarification and examination of the Veteran's service-connected low back disability, right knee disability, and TDIU claim due to incomplete or unclear examination reports.

The claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded, and the claim of a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis is also remanded. The claims of entitlement to service connection for ED and PTSD are also remanded.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating of 50 percent for migraine headaches has been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are not fully addressed due to incomplete VA examinations. The issues must be remanded to afford the Veteran a new examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine spondylosis with degenerative arthritis and right lumbar radiculopathy, as well as his claim for a TDIU. The case must be remanded to obtain an adequate VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip and low back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left ankle degenerative arthritis, prior to August 6, 2021, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter, and service connection for a disability manifested by chronic pain are remanded due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's service-connected arthritic conditions have rendered her unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, and such impairment is permanent in nature.,An award of eligibility for SAH precludes a separate SHA grant due to the loss of use of both feet.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right knee osteoarthritis (associated with left knee impairment), and rheumatoid arthritis. The appeal is remanded to obtain updated evidence regarding the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for his degenerative arthritis of the spine (claimed as back pain) is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. A new VA examination is required to address whether the Veteran's back disability was caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has identified a pre-decisional duty to assist error in the February 2019 rating decision and has remanded both issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating for left knee osteoarthritis and patellar chondromalacia, and entitlement to SMC based on aid and attendance.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU rating based on these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his right shoulder disorder, finding that it was less likely than not caused or aggravated by his left lower leg disability.