Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate VA medical examinations and insufficient consideration of the evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder disability, including osteoarthritis and impingement syndrome, finding that his symptoms began during service and have persisted since then.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for osteoarthritis of the left little finger with boutonniere deformity is being remanded due to new evidence indicating worsening of his condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine and right knee disabilities have been remanded due to the need for clarification of the severity of his conditions throughout the appeal period.,The Veteran's right knee instability has also been remanded, as there is a need for clarification regarding the impact of medication on his range of motion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder degenerative arthritis is related to service, and thus grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's TDIU rating is granted as of January 27, 2011 due to his service-connected disabilities including PTSD and CAD.

The Veteran's claims for left wrist degenerative arthritis and pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) have been granted. The claim of service connection for dermatitis, to include as secondary to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected right knee disability and right knee scar are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to assess the current nature and severity of these conditions.

The Board has ordered additional medical opinions to clarify the nature of the Veteran's right hip conditions and determine if any service-connected disabilities have aggravated them. The case is being returned for further review.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as the maximum schedular rating has been assigned.,The claim for service connection for sleep apnea was previously denied, but reopened due to new and material evidence. The issue remains on appeal.,The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, status post left knee injury with mild arthritis, otitis media, and hearing loss are all remanded for further evaluation.,The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea is remanded as new evidence has been received. The issue remains on appeal.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded due to the inextricably intertwined nature with other issues.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and spinal fusion as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased disability evaluations due to inadequate medical opinions in the January 2021 VA examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to April 23, 2013, is remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board finds sufficient evidence to substantiate the possibility of unemployability by reason of service-connected disabilities prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine (low back syndrome) did not begin or be aggravated during his active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, IBS, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right knee degenerative arthritis are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. The VA will schedule examinations to determine if these conditions are related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis is rated at 40 percent, effective April 15, 2011. The rating for right leg sciatica was granted at 20 percent as of September 20, 2019.

The Board granted service connection for right ear Eustachian tube dysfunction, finding that the Veteran's current disability is related to his in-service diagnosis of Eustachian tube dysfunction.,Service connection was denied for left index finger conditions due to a lack of evidence showing their onset during active service or being otherwise related to service.

The Board has remanded the issues related to increased disability ratings for right knee disabilities due to incomplete VA examination in June 2022. A new VA examination is needed to assess current severity and functional impairment of the right knee.

The Board has denied service connection for various knee, back, neck, shoulder, and foot disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal in its entirety prior to the promulgation of a decision.