Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the claimed conditions in a September 2022 rating decision, and as such, there is no longer any case or controversy to consider.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirement for TDIU due to his service-connected cervical spine degenerative arthritis, thoracic spine fractures and degenerative arthritis, bilateral knee retropatellar syndrome, and tinnitus that render him unable to follow a substantially gainful occupation from November 16, 2013 to March 15, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine was denied. Separate ratings of 10 percent were granted for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy effective from February 23, 2021.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis and left upper extremity radiculopathy are granted as service connected.,From May 23, 2016 to August 21, 2018, the Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

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

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for his right knee disability as secondary to service-connected disabilities and/or due to obesity, as well as his degenerative arthritis of the right foot. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to address whether his service-connected posttraumatic arthritis of the right ankle and/or degenerative arthritis of the right foot caused or aggravated his right knee disability and if not whether his osteoarthritis of the right knee was caused by these conditions with obesity as an intermediate step.

The Board denied service connection for right knee and right foot disorders, finding that the current conditions are not related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.,The evidence did not support a secondary service connection claim.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at a maximum of 30 percent, and the issues related to his gastrointestinal disorder are remanded for further review. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a link between his current degenerative arthritis and his active service.,The Board has also remanded the claims for service connection for left ankle and left foot disabilities due to conflicting medical opinions and lack of proper evidentiary development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for intermittent tension headaches, cervical spine degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease other than IVDS, right hip strain and trochanteric pain syndrome, left hip strain and trochanteric pain syndrome, and pan sinusitis of the sphenoidal and maxillary sinuses with bilateral mastoid effusions have all been granted due to presumed exposure during service in Southwest Asia.

The Board denied service connection for a back condition, finding that the Veteran's congenital scoliosis and kyphosis were not aggravated during service and there was no superimposed injury or disease. The Board also found that her osteoporosis, degenerative arthritis, strain, and intervertebral disc syndrome did not manifest due to service.,The Board denied service connection for a neck condition, finding that the Veteran's neck pain did not begin during service and there was no evidence of aggravation by service.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of February 9, 2012 for the assignment of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his right knee, left hip, and acquired psychiatric disorder conditions. The Veteran is required to undergo additional examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his service-connected disabilities or other events.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for right knee instability and a 20 percent rating for degenerative arthritis, right knee, with limited extension effective September 9, 2008. The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for further examination. Increased ratings for his right knee disability are also remanded.

The Veteran's low back pain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative joint disease status post discectomy and L4/5 foraminotomy have been granted disability ratings, with the most recent rating of 40 percent effective from October 1, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of his claims for a rating more than 10 percent for left carpal scaphoid fracture with degenerative arthritis, service connection for right shoulder bursitis, service connection for left foot condition, and service connection for right foot condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left knee bursitis with degenerative arthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and testing.

The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbar spine disability, bilateral hip osteoarthritis, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted. The claim for erectile dysfunction (E.D.) is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's right knee instability is rated at 20 percent effective April 9, 2014, and continues to February 7, 2021. The rating for limitation of flexion remains at 10 percent from April 9, 2014, to April 12, 2017, and is then denied. The rating for limitation of extension remains at noncompensable.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his low back disability and radiculopathy of the lower extremities have been denied. The VA has found that the Veteran's symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation based on current medical evidence.,The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated as 40 percent disabling, which is the maximum rating available under the applicable diagnostic codes.