Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected low back disability and to provide a retrospective opinion regarding its severity prior to November 5, 2005. The case is being remanded for these purposes.

Service connection is denied for spine degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome, sacroiliac injury, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and osteoarthritis.,Service connection is denied for irritable bowel syndrome, prostatitis, hydronephrosis, Peyronie's disease, ureterolithiasis, renal disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, arteriosclerotic heart disease, atherosclerotic renal disease, hypertensive vascular disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.,Service connection is denied for diabetes mellitus type II, right upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 30% from December 30, 2013 to October 13, 2021. A separate 20% rating for glenohumeral joint dislocation of the right shoulder (nondominant hand) effective October 13, 2021 is granted. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating in excess of 40% for his right shoulder disability from October 13, 2021 is remanded.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 20 percent, and the Board found that a higher rating was not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, including as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability, is etiologically related to service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions provided are inadequate and requires additional development to address the Veteran's claims for service connection. The issues of pes planus, bilateral foot disability (including degenerative joint disease), left-hand disability (other than left wrist osteoarthritis and left fifth finger sprain), bilateral knee disability, sleep apnea, right scapular pain, and dizziness are all remanded.

The Veteran's hysterectomy with residuals is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's loss of use of a creative organ (hysterectomy) is also granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis. The VA examiner did not address the Veteran's lay statements about an in-service injury and the records are incomplete.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his disability.

The Veteran's lower back condition and left lower extremity radiculopathy were denied increased ratings. The lower back condition was rated at 10% prior to September 18, 2019, and 20% from that date onwards.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent for the entire appeal period, which includes prior to and from November 12, 2020. The rating criteria are more favorable to the Veteran as his symptoms align with forward flexion of 30 degrees or less.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and osteoarthritis and degenerative arthritis of the left hip have been granted. The claim for left foot bunions is being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his knee and foot disabilities, as well as his lumbar spine disability. The issues include prepatellar effusion of both knees, degenerative arthritis with calcaneal spurs in both feet, and a disc bulge in the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's low back disorder and associated radiculopathy have been granted increased ratings, with the left lower extremity radiculopathy receiving a higher rating since October 5, 2020.

The Board has ordered a remand due to inadequate VA medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's diagnosed foot conditions and his service-connected bilateral foot drop.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability, finding that the Veteran's statements about chronic or continuous symptoms since her in-service injury were not credible and that there was no causal relationship between her current condition and the September 2000 in-service injury.

The Board denied a higher rating for the Veteran's low back disability, finding that the evidence did not support a rating higher than 10 percent for the period prior to October 1, 2010.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, and low back disability due to potential pre-existing conditions and lack of clear and unmistakable aggravation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting the grant of TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to outstanding VA treatment records and the need for a VA examination of the Veteran's lumbar spine condition.