Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for aggravation of the Veteran's low back disability due to his service-connected left hip disability. The PTSD rating remains at 50 percent, and the left hip muscle injury rating is increased to 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's diagnosed lumbar degenerative arthritis is related to service, specifically addressing his reported injury during boot camp and in-service duties.

The Board has denied service connection for various knee and hip disabilities, finding that the current conditions are not related to military service.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for his lumbar spine and sciatic nerve disabilities were denied. The lumbar spine disability was rated 10% prior to July 1, 2016, and 20% thereafter. The right and left sciatic nerve radiculopathy each received a 10% rating prior to April 6, 2021, and a 20% rating beginning that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the nature and etiology of his bilateral foot, wrist, and hand disabilities. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of a right elbow condition is granted. The Board has also remanded the claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and right elbow degenerative arthritis.

The Board has requested a VA ankle examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right ankle disability, including during flare-ups. The examiner is instructed to provide ranges of motion and address additional loss of function due to painful motion, weakened motion, excess motion, fatigability, incoordination, or on flare up.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and evaluation of his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine, right patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left patellofemoral pain syndrome. The rating criteria have been amended effective February 7, 2021.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent prior to September 12, 2021 and increased to 30 percent thereafter. The claim for TDIU was granted.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and active service or any other compensable conditions.

The Board has found that remand is warranted for the Veteran's knee disabilities and hemorrhoids due to missing VA treatment records, lack of recent private medical records, and inadequate September 2015 VA examination. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the rating assigned for the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities and hemorrhoids.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran needs a VA examination to address whether his diagnosed disabilities are related to active service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives. The cervical spine strain claim is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to outstanding treatment records.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the period prior to November 9, 2018. The Veteran withdrew his appeals.