Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral plantar fasciitis, left and right knee disabilities, and residual scar from inguinal hernia repair due to potential service connection issues.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left shoulder disorder and hypertension has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating of his persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress is granted, effective from October 25, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for right hip osteoarthritis and residuals of cellulitis, right lower extremity as there is no evidence to support a nexus between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence from a previous VA examination, and the Veteran needs to be provided with a new one.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the left hip, as there was no issuance of a supplemental statement of the case addressing whether he is entitled to noncompensable ratings for limited flexion and adduction/abduction.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased initial rating for PTSD and persistent depressive disorder has been withdrawn. The claims of service connection for a bilateral foot disorder, right ankle disability, lumbosacral spine disability, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an addendum VA medical opinion to address whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to service or his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as service connected. The ratings for her knee and ankle disabilities are remanded due to inadequate examination findings.

The Board has granted service connection for a right hip disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability with associated bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to his service-connected disabilities, effective June 1, 2011.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for left elbow, right wrist, and left wrist conditions due to inadequate information provided by the VA examiner in previous opinions. The Veteran's statements of continuity of symptoms since service are considered credible.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the spine is currently rated as 40 percent disabling from May 18, 2016 to July 21, 2016. The appeal for a rating in excess of 40 percent on and after October 17, 2019 has been remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and consideration due to the need for updated VA examinations of the Veteran's lumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities.