Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his disabilities due to incomplete or insufficient evidence, including missing VA treatment records and SSA disability benefits information. The Veteran is also required to undergo examinations to assess his hands, sleep apnea/asthma, and right shoulder.

The Veteran's current osteoarthritis of the bilateral feet, ankles, knees, hips, and lumbosacral disc syndrome are granted as service-connected.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inconsistencies in the medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left hand degenerative arthritis. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition, which he attributes to his service-connected knee and back disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lower back condition, right foot condition, left shoulder condition, and right arm condition due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The claim for sleep apnea is also remanded as there are no medical opinions addressing its onset or cause.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment since April 1, 2006.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee injury is reopened, but the appeal is remanded to determine if his current left knee disability is related to his in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee degenerative arthritis due to an inadequate June 2019 examination. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities from August 13, 2014 through September 25, 2016 rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's ratings for his service-connected knee and polyneuropathy disabilities have been reduced, but the Board finds that these reductions were not proper due to a failure to consider all applicable regulations.,The Veteran is also seeking increased ratings for his service-connected knee and polyneuropathy disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine disability and right sciatic radiculopathy are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral feet disabilities, including hallux valgus, hammertoes, flat foot (pes planus), and degenerative arthritis. The decision is based on a finding that these conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and higher disability rating for low back disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support assigning an effective date earlier than January 23, 2014 or a higher initial disability rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient range of motion measurements and functional ankylosis assessment in the previous VA examination. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability remains under review.

The Veteran's bilateral knee osteoarthrosis have been manifested by flexion of 70 degrees or greater, and extension to 10 degrees or less. The Veteran is currently assigned a 10 percent rating for each of her left and right knees due to osteoarthritis under DC 5261.,The criteria for entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a right knee disability have not been met. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident in service.

Service connection is granted for right and left knee disabilities, as well as back and right ankle disabilities. Service connection for neck disability was dismissed.,The Veteran's right and left knees are found to be related to service due to degenerative joint disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding whether his right shoulder disability is aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder disability and whether any of his claimed disabilities are related to obesity or weight gain secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Board denied service connection for a right foot disorder, finding no current disability separate from rheumatoid arthritis. Service connection was granted for left foot degenerative arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings and effective dates due to a need for additional examinations and information.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back degenerative arthritis, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to a motor vehicle accident during active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for various back, knee, and ankle disabilities was denied. The rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy was granted at a 20% level effective from August 6, 2020.