Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) — all decisions

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left knee disabilities to correct pre-decisional errors in the duty to assist.

The veteran was granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent, but no higher, from December 26, 2017, for right lower extremity (RLE) sciatica.

The appeal for an increased disability rating in excess of 70 percent from June 4, 2015, to July 12, 2022, for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with persistent depressive disorder was denied.

The Board dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates related to various left and right hip, knee, shoulder, and other conditions as they were freestanding claims not continuously pursued from the initial rating decisions.

The Board denied service connection for metabolic syndrome and remanded claims for diabetes, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, and tension headaches due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis due to a clear and unmistakable error in a July 1981 rating decision.

The Board granted service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis and a rating of 30 percent for left knee joint instability, while remanding other issues.

The Board denied a rating higher than 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, which includes Baker's cyst, strain, and degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for left and right hip degenerative arthritis affecting various aspects of joint function.

The Board granted restoration of a 40% rating for osteoarthritis of the left knee, effective July 1, 2009, and denied an increased rating in excess of 40% for the same condition as well as entitlement to TDIU.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for misaligned spine/degenerative arthritis of the spine before a decision was made.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis as it is not etiologically related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD with TBI and an earlier effective date of January 11, 2016, but no earlier, for left knee limitation of extension with joint osteoarthritis.

The Board granted service connection for left shoulder strain, right shoulder strain, early osteoarthritis of the left and right hips (secondary to a service-connected knee disability), and right and left ankle strains (secondary to a service-connected knee disability).