Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence and the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the increased rating claims for further evidentiary development, including obtaining VA and private medical records. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the etiology of his sleep disorder, left knee disorder, left foot disorder, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is at least as likely as not related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's TBI and right ankle degenerative arthritis have been granted service connection. The Board has found the evidence to be in approximate balance as to whether his cervical spine condition, anxiety, bilateral hearing loss, and left ankle arthritis are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his combat injury during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for a right wrist condition, finding that the Veteran's current right wrist disability and degenerative changes are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain new VA examinations for his back, femur, and knee disabilities due to the inconsistency in the previous examination findings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for her left knee disability and for a TDIU due to the need for additional development of medical records and opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for psychiatric disorders, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, sciatic nerve disorder, right knee disorder, and hepatitis C have all been denied as the evidence does not support a finding of in-service onset or etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, lumbosacral strain, cervical spine disability with degenerative disc disease, and bone spur removal from the left foot, are being remanded for further evaluation due to recent worsening of symptoms.

The Board has granted service connection for low back and left knee disabilities, but denied service connection for a right knee disorder.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 40 percent effective November 8, 2011. From December 20, 2019, the rating for his back disability was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. Effective December 21, 2020, he received ratings of 20 percent for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, but he did not meet the criteria for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 as he had less than a ten-year total disability rating at the time of his death.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine is now rated at 40 percent, effective from September 14, 2021.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination for adjudicatory purposes and the need to secure outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to address the nature and severity of the Veteran's shoulder and foot disabilities. Separate ratings may be warranted for multiple service-connected foot disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran's current back disability is related to his service, and also because of concerns about a pelvic tilt problem and unequal leg length that may be separate from his current condition.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative arthritis and recurrent lateral instability are not rated higher than the current assigned ratings for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection and TDIU issues. The right ankle disability has been granted a 20% rating, but the other claims remain pending.