Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's left knee arthritis with instability is granted a 10 percent rating, effective from May 5, 2016. Other claims are denied.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and degenerative arthritis of the bilateral knees and hips, but has remanded these issues due to insufficient evidence.

Service connection for hypertension is granted due to herbicide agent exposure in Vietnam. Other service connection claims are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his active military service and does not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis right elbow and impairment of supination and/or pronation, right elbow were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show more than a 20 percent limitation of motion in either case.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his low back disability was granted, but only up to a 20 percent rating prior to February 7, 2020. The appeal for a higher rating is dismissed as the Veteran expressed satisfaction with this rating and indicated it was appropriate.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the September 2021 remand directives and finds another remand is necessary to obtain an adequate VA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral foot disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial disability ratings for his bilateral shoulder and neck disabilities, as well as his left and right knee disabilities. The appeals are now pending with the VA Regional Office.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current bilateral degenerative arthritis of the AC joint is related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 8, 2022.

The Board has restored the 20 percent rating for cervical spine disability from January 5, 2021 to February 28, 2021. The remaining claims of entitlement to increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to procedural issues.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation due to issues related to gastroesophageal reflux disease and increased rating for right knee hypertrophic osteoarthritis. Service connection for GERD is also requested.

The Board has determined that there was a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error due to untranslated records, and the claims for service connection are remanded for readjudication based on the complete record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's skin rash is granted service connection as a MUCMI due to his Persian Gulf War service. The claims for osteoarthritis and undiagnosed illness or MUCMI (fibromyalgia/CFS) are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with L5/S1 spondylolisthesis was denied, and his claim for a 20 percent rating for right lumbar radiculopathy of sciatic nerve prior to September 23, 2019 was granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to worsening of his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and a request for a DRO hearing.

The Veteran's right shoulder, left hip, and right hip disorders are not service-connected as they were not shown to be present during active duty or within the applicable presumptive period.,A skin disorder of the feet is also not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to in-service events.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and requests for an additional examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is etiologically related to his in-service injury. The other conditions (bilateral pes cavus and right foot osteoarthritis) are not addressed as they were not part of the original claim.