Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee osteoarthritis, lymphoma, and skin cancer.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has remanded to determine if a higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's back condition and associated radiculopathy in both lower extremities are granted a 20% rating, effective from April 16, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder was granted, with the disability being found to be related to service. The decision also reopened the claim due to new and material evidence.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 40 percent, but no greater. Service connection for pelvic dysfunction is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar spine and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's right and left knee chondromalacia ligament strain with osteoarthritis are currently rated at 10% each, effective November 20, 2011.,Service connection for a right leg disorder and a left leg disorder secondary to the Veteran's knee disabilities is denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 20 percent prior to January 27, 2015. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on Diagnostic Code 5262 criteria for malunion of the tibia and fibula with marked knee or ankle disability.

The Veteran's service connection claim for hypothyroidism is granted due to exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand. The claim for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is remanded as there are insufficient opinions regarding its onset during service.

The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating exceeding 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer and residuals thereof, as well as his claim for service connection for a back disability, are granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional medical opinions regarding his service-connected PTSD, as well as for evaluations of his left and right hip disorders and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, which adequately compensates his symptoms and functional impairment.,The Veteran's cervical radiculopathy is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine was denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis, and thus, a higher rating is not warranted. For TDIU, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied an effective date prior to June 16, 2022, for a 40% rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis as the disability did not meet the criteria for a 40% rating before that date.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for lumbar degenerative arthritis, and the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since September 24, 2014. The appeal for an earlier effective date and higher rating was denied.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is rated at 40 percent, effective November 1, 2022.,Separate ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are granted, with specific effective dates.,A higher rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy after January 26, 2018 is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a vision disorder, bilateral hearing loss, arthritis of the hands, right ankle disorder, and bilateral leg condition are being remanded due to missing service treatment records.,No current disability has been established for any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for liver disability, neck disability, and low back disability due to insufficient evidence. The claims for OSA are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an increased rating of right shoulder degenerative arthritis due to additional development needed, including a new VA examination and medical opinion.