Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's employment ended in December 2018 due to his service-connected disabilities, including anxiety and migraine headaches. The AOJ needs to complete further development regarding the Veteran's employment history before deciding on the TDIU claim.

The Board has found that the VA medical opinions obtained in connection with the January 2023 remand were inadequate and have ordered a new examination to address whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder, headaches, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine have been granted. A TDIU has also been granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient objective data and lack of addressing ankylosis in previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back disability and headaches, as the previous opinions were inadequate.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for his cervical spine and gastrointestinal disorders, as well as their relationship to any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the bilateral knees and hips, finding that the Veteran's in-service duties are at least as likely as not related to her current conditions.,The Board also remanded the issues regarding a skin condition of the nose (actinic keratosis) and a skin condition (seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis), requesting additional development on exposure history.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected cervical spine and left arm radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and incomplete records. The Veteran's right knee disorder is being reviewed for service connection, with a focus on whether it is related to her in-service airborne operations.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee osteoarthritis have been remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left shoulder impingement and left knee injury with degenerative arthritis were denied as a matter of law due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip joint replacement and impingement, left knee joint osteoarthritis, and a back condition. The Veteran's back condition is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right lower extremity knee and sciatic nerve radiculopathy, together with organic diseases such as coronary artery disease, sinusitis, and hypertension, result in the loss of use of one lower extremity and affect balance and propulsion. The Board grants entitlement to specially adapted housing but dismisses the claim for a special home adaptation grant.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for right knuckle fracture with degenerative arthritis was granted. The case is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left hand disability and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for headache disability, which is secondary to a service-connected neck disability, and for TDIU due to one or more service-connected disabilities. The remand requires an addendum medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's headaches and his service-connected neck disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment prior to January 30, 2020. The Board has determined that remand is necessary to address this issue.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right ankle osteoarthritis and lumbosacral spine DDD with IVDS are denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of consideration of certain medical evidence and lay statements regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disability. The case will be returned for further development.