Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine and remanded the issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is not rated higher than the current assigned ratings, and temporary total evaluations for surgeries are denied. Separate or increased ratings for left upper extremity radiculopathy prior to March 2022, or from March 22, 2022, are also denied.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's allergic rhinitis and sinusitis conditions, dermatitis and tinea versicolor (claimed as chronic skin rash), lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), and right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus his claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is denied.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran's condition was not shown as chronic in service or within the applicable presumptive period and did not have continuity of symptomatology since service. The disability is also not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, and low back disorders due to inadequate VA medical opinions and failure of the Veteran to attend scheduled examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected left knee painful range of motion and degenerative arthritis with instability due to inadequate examination findings. The Veteran is now rated separately for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and other issues have been remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The Board will need to obtain updated medical records, conduct new examinations, and provide a thorough rationale for any determinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions regarding his lumbar spine disability and neck condition. The Board finds that the current rating may be incorrect due to the passage of time and a possible increase in disability, as well as insufficient service connection opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee osteoarthritis with meniscal tear, right knee instability, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The remand requires additional development including a new VA examination and consideration of functional loss during flare-ups.

The Veteran's right arm and right wrist disabilities were not incurred in service, as there is no evidence of chronic conditions noted during service or post-service manifestations. The Board found the VA medical opinions to be persuasive and denied service connection on a direct basis.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the right knee and lumbosacral strain as secondary to service-connected conditions, due to the effective dates of the granted benefits.

Service connection has been granted for a right Achilles tendon disorder and a right hip disorder.,The Veteran's right wrist, left shoulder, and right ankle disorders are pending further review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted with effective dates of December 29, 2014.,These decisions are based on the Veteran filing her claims electronically in the VA eBenefits system prior to submitting a formal claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for respiratory disability, left ankle disability, and left knee disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed. The Board found that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the previously denied claims of service connection for a back disability, right arm disability, radiculopathy (right lower extremity), and radiculopathy (left lower extremity).

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100% effective from August 9, 2001. The VA has not obtained all relevant Social Security Administration (SSA) records and the issues of increased rating for left shoulder dislocation with osteoarthritis, entitlement to TDIU, and service connection for a low back disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable, as he was able to maintain full-time employment in a substantially gainful occupation until August 14, 2018.

The Board has remanded the case for a retrospective opinion to determine when the Veteran's back disability increased in severity prior to February 7, 2017. The initial hearing loss rating remains denied.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right ankle disability is not service-connected, and has remanded the left shoulder disability for further development.