Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development due to incomplete employment history and impact assessments.

The Veteran's left shoulder, right shoulder, back, knee, ankle, and foot conditions are all found to be etiologically related to his active service.

An effective date of February 24, 2010, but no earlier, for a 20% rating for posttraumatic arthritis of the right shoulder is granted.,Effective from August 23, 2021, a separate 10% rating for right shoulder malunion of the clavicle or scapula is granted.,An effective date of February 27, 2009, but no earlier, for a 20% rating for left knee meniscus tear with osteoarthritis is granted.,As of December 12, 2020, a separate 10% rating for residuals of left knee strain with limitation of extension is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, including arthritis and other conditions like chondromalacia and patellofemoral syndrome. The decision is based on the presumption of chronicity due to symptoms since service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a back disability due to inadequate medical opinions and needs additional development of the medical evidence.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including osteoarthritis and femoral condyle osteochondritis desiccans, is currently rated at 10 percent for instability. The Board finds a separate 10 percent rating for instability is warranted.,Service connection for left index finger disability was denied. Service connection for residuals of heat stroke (including memory loss) is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions and their relationship to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims due to inadequate reasons and bases provided in the previous decision, specifically regarding the adequacy of VA knee examinations conducted prior to March 30, 2021. The Veteran's right knee disability must be re-evaluated with new VA examinations that comply with Correia v. McDonald (2016) and Sharp v. Shulkin (2017).

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VR&E records and a new evaluation by a VRC or CP to determine if he meets the criteria for a Category I designation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder osteoarthritis, cervical segmental dysfunction (neck pain), and compression fracture of L1. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for osteoarthritis, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a Board decision. The claims of entitlement to service connection for left hip disability (secondary to low back disability) and right hip disability (secondary to low back disability) are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left foot disability, which includes residuals of a left fifth toe fracture with degenerative arthritis, is denied. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating due to lack of actual loss of use of the foot.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a new VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current left knee disorders are related to his in-service diagnosis of chronic left patella subluxation.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, including impingement, rotator cuff and bicipital tendonitis, glenohumeral and acromioclavicular osteoarthritis, has not met the criteria for a higher initial rating of more than 20 percent prior to March 28, 2022, or more than 30 percent thereafter.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and its aggravation by her service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted an initial 40 percent evaluation, effective July 28, 2011.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disability, finding that there is no evidence of chronic right ankle symptoms during or within one year after service separation. The Board also found insufficient medical opinion to establish a nexus between current right ankle arthritis and service.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities and carpal tunnel syndrome are rated based on their severity, with the right knee receiving a separate rating for cartilage involvement. The case is remanded due to unresolved issues.

The Veteran's left foot disability, characterized by severe hallux valgus with degenerative arthritis and hammertoes, is rated at 30 percent since June 10, 2022.