Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted.,Service connection for left hip osteoarthritis (limitation of extension of the thigh), right hip osteoarthritis (limitation of extension of the thigh), left hip osteoarthritis (impairment of the thigh), left hip osteoarthritis (limitation of flexion of the thigh), and right hip osteoarthritis (impairment of the thigh) was granted, but with an effective date of December 5, 2015.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates were denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no persuasive evidence that it began during service or is related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it had onset in, or is otherwise related to, active military service and whether it is caused or aggravated by the service-connected disabilities, including chronic pain from his service-connected knee and psychiatric disabilities.,The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and instability are remanded for appropriate examinations to determine their current severity with consideration of functional impairment on employability.,The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis and instability are remanded for appropriate examinations to determine their current severity with consideration of functional impairment on employability.,The Veteran's depressive disorder is remanded for an appropriate examination to determine its current severity.,Earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection and ratings for the Veteran's left knee disability and depressive disorder are remanded as they may be related to his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's earlier effective date claims are inextricably intertwined with the increased rating issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for a back disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and a left knee disorder due to inconsistencies in the rating decisions.

The Board has remanded several claims related to the Veteran's service connection for various eye and joint conditions due to incomplete medical records and the need for additional VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of open angle glaucoma and a higher rating for right total knee arthroplasty are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The reduction of the rating for cervical spine disability from 30 percent to 0 percent, effective March 1, 2020, was improper due to lack of procedural compliance. The 30 percent rating is restored.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as due to sleep apnea. The claim for tinea versicolor is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's quadriplegia was proximately caused and aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his left knee disability and PTSD, as well as his claim for TDIU, were all denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a right hip disability, diagnosed as right hip internal derangement. The claims of bilateral hallux valgus and right knee disability are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has remanded both issues for further review due to inadequate VA examinations and the need to consider additional evidence from the claims file.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability was granted an initial rating of 40 percent. The Board found that the Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability warranted a 40 percent rating based on forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less after repeated use over time and during flare-ups. Service connection for right knee, left knee, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities is remanded.

The Veteran's SLE with scarring alopecia and bilateral knee osteoarthritis was granted a 100 percent disability rating from May 11, 2021. Prior to that date, the Veteran had a 60 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed as the VA Form 10182 was not timely filed.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of March 17, 2021 for his service-connected degenerative arthritis right ankle.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar spine and radiculopathy conditions are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the claims for increased ratings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, as well as degenerative arthritis of the bilateral hands. The AOJ is required to obtain additional VA treatment records and provide an addendum opinion addressing whether these conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's left knee patellofemoral crepitus and right foot hammertoes, status-post surgery, are granted service connection. The Veteran's claims for left knee joint osteoarthritis and right knee joint osteoarthritis are denied as they are not related to active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations and TDIU due to incomplete information regarding his employment history, SSA benefits, and worker's compensation.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left hip dysplasia as secondary to her service-connected left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that her hip condition was aggravated by her knee condition.