Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder condition, including strain, tendonitis, and labral tear with degenerative arthritis, effective January 11, 2012, the day following the Veteran's separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication due to issues raised in a Joint Motion for Partial Remand (JMPR). Specifically, the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is being evaluated for ankylosis or its functional equivalent. The peripheral neuropathy and radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication of the increased rating claims, including obtaining private medical records from the Veteran's physician and requesting a completed VA Form 21-8940 for TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, right knee degenerative arthritis, and pseudofolliculitis barbae, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since November 2014. Effective from March 30, 2016 (the date of claim for the underlying grant of service connection for major depressive disorder), he is granted TDIU.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, and Anxiety Disorder is granted. The initial rating for low back disability prior to June 7, 2019 is granted at 20 percent. A higher than 40 percent rating for the low back disability since June 7, 2019 is denied. Initial ratings of 10 percent are granted for right sciatica and scar formation in the right cranium prior to June 6, 2019. The issue of service connection for joint pain is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on multiple knee and ankle conditions, as well as hypertension, are being remanded to the RO for initial consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to her military service.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and bilateral diabetic retinopathy. The claims for type 2 diabetes mellitus and bilateral diabetic retinopathy are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its relationship to his service-connected PTSD.,Service connection is denied for right knee osteoarthritis, ACL tear, and meniscal tear as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.,An effective date earlier than June 29, 2016 is not warranted for the grants of service connection for right and left shoulder osteoarthritis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis is related to service, including jumping out of helicopters while serving in combat in the Republic of Vietnam. The VA will provide a medical examination to determine if there is a relationship between the current disability and service.

Effective October 11, 1986, service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis is granted.,From May 11, 2007, an initial rating of 20 percent for left upper extremity radiculopathy is granted as secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain.,From May 11, 2007, an initial rating of 20 percent for right knee osteoarthritis is granted as secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain.,The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for right knee impairment is dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals to reopen the claims for entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a low back disorder, including sacroiliac joint osteoarthritis.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hip osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced in favor of the Veteran's claim.

The Veteran's left knee instability is rated at 10 percent, effective from November 8, 2016. The rating for chondromalacia and osteoarthritis remains unchanged.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including headaches and back issues, have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted his claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The claims will be reconsidered with additional evidence and possibly new medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance based on the use of a right foot orthotic device was denied because there is no record of him using such an orthotic in 2020 or 2021.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for secondary service connection for a left hip disability, finding that it was caused by his service-connected right knee disability.