Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee degenerative arthritis. The low back disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder claims are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that they alone are not sufficient to render him unemployable.

The Veteran's left wrist disability is productive of at least mild, incomplete paralysis of the median nerve. The Board finds that a rating of at least 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 8515 is warranted for his neurological impairment of the left wrist.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to April 5, 2021 due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is directed to consider referral for extraschedular consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Board has remanded the claims for right shoulder and left foot disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in the original decision. The Veteran's conditions are being reviewed again with new examinations.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, bilateral hand, right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities are service-connected. GERD, sleep apnea, and breathing disorder were not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's thoracic spine injury residuals are not rated appropriately, and the Board has ordered a remand to gather more information about his current condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, bilateral knee disorders (right and left), and bilateral ankle disorders (left and right). The conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for right and left shoulder osteoarthritis, as well as right and left tibiotalar joint osteoarthritis, are being remanded due to the need for further evaluation.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating and service connection were dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to inconsistencies in a prior VA examination. The case is being sent back for further evaluation.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for an addendum opinion addressing range of motion and functional loss due to pain, as well as retrospective measurements for the entire claims period.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated as noncompensable, with no evidence of an exceptional pattern of hearing impairment.,Left hip degenerative arthritis and residuals of left femur fracture were rated at 10 percent. The Board found the evidence did not support a higher rating due to limited abduction or adduction.,Left hip limitation of flexion was also rated at 10 percent, with no evidence supporting a higher rating based on flexion limitations.,Hemorrhoids were rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on the issues of increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and post traumatic degenerative joint disease of the right ankle, as well as service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), right shoulder osteoarthritis, diabetes mellitus, type 2, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is being remanded due to the need for an examination.