Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of September 30, 2008. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for the period from September 30, 2008, to July 16, 2009.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's neck disability. The Veteran contends his current condition is related to service, including injuries sustained during basic training and a motorcycle accident.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for further development of the Veteran's employment history.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than September 9, 2015, for the grant of service connection for adjustment disorder was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating in excess of 70 percent prior to August 8, 2016, for adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a 100% disability rating beginning August 8, 2016, for adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression was granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for left knee and shoulder disabilities due to deficiencies in VA examination reports, lack of consideration of certain medical records, and need for a new opinion regarding functional ankylosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left and right knee disorders did not have an onset during active service, within a year of service, or are otherwise attributable to any incident of service.

The Board has granted service connection for chondromalacia and degenerative arthritis of the left knee, as well as right knee. The decision also grants eligibility for financial assistance in purchasing one automobile or other conveyance with necessary adaptive equipment due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities resulting in permanent loss of use of at least one foot.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to substantially comply with a previous remand, requiring another VA examination and medical opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities due to a lack of recent VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, lumbar spine, and bilateral foot disorders due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives. The VA must obtain updated treatment records and provide supplemental opinions from an examiner.

The Veteran's right knee disability was granted a 60% rating effective August 1, 2020.,For the period prior to June 4, 2019, his right knee disability was rated at 10%. The low back disability has been rated at 40% since November 9, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right shoulder strain and degenerative arthritis of the spine with coccyx strain have been denied as there is no evidence showing lost range of motion or ankylosis that would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and bilateral knee disorder, as they are related to his service-connected back condition. Additional development is needed to obtain private treatment records from a hospital where the Veteran had a reported knee surgery in 2000 or 2001.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities. The claims are being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis are caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral plantar fascitis.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, finding that there is at least a 50% likelihood that his current condition is related to his active service and that he experienced continuous symptoms since then.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right knee and left ankle disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his right knee disability, as it only warranted a 10 percent rating prior to September 27, 2019, and a 60 percent rating thereafter. For his left ankle disability, he was granted a 100 percent rating from August 17, 2018, but the Board found that the evidence did not support an even higher 30 percent rating due to marked limitation of motion of the ankle.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar strain with degenerative arthritis is granted a 20 percent rating from October 29, 2014 to July 21, 2020. A higher rating is denied for the period after July 21, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.