Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's nephrolithiasis was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, and his right knee disability, osteoarthritis of the left and right achilles tendons are also not related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine with pain, including any associated neurological abnormalities and functional limitations.

The Veteran's right knee disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling for flexion and noncompensable for extension. The ratings are denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder was granted with an effective date of August 9, 2011. The claim for right hip disability remains pending and denied.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is now rated at 30 percent, effective February 17, 2020. His low back disability remains rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's left elbow degenerative arthritis is rated at 20 percent, and his PTSD is rated at the maximum allowable under the rating criteria. The Veteran also received a TDIU rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability warrants a 20 percent rating from February 3, 2011, and denied higher ratings for earlier periods.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an addendum medical opinion to consider the Veteran's reported limitations of motion during flare-ups and with repetitive use over time.

The Board has remanded this case due to the inadequacy of a previous medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is related to his military service. The Veteran needs a new examination and an informed opinion on the matter.

The Board has granted service connection on a secondary basis for bilateral plantar fasciitis, left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, and obstructive sleep apnea as they are found to be at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's cheilectomy of the right foot did not result in chronic residual disability, and his current symptoms are attributed to other conditions such as osteoarthritis, hyperuricemia, pes anserine bursitis, patellofemoral syndrome, and degenerative arthritis. The Board denied compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for chronic residual right foot disability due to a cheilectomy of the right foot performed at the West Los Angeles VAMC on August 10, 2007.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the claims can be adjudicated, and the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected knee disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder was granted in July 2019 with an effective date of March 26, 2019. The Board denied the request for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for her service-connected right wrist ganglion cyst and residual scar was denied. The Board found that the current level of disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis and instability were not rated higher than 10 percent prior to May 26, 2015.,The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis and instability were not rated higher than 10 percent at any time during the period on appeal.