Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and TIA due to a need for additional medical evidence.

The Board granted service connection for migraines, including migraine variants and bilateral foot degenerative arthritis on a presumptive basis due to the presence of symptoms in service and continuity of symptomatology since service. The claim for bilateral plantar fasciitis was remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claim for a lumbar spine disorder to obtain an addendum VA opinion that addresses the etiology of each of the Veteran's lumbar spine disorders.

The appeal for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, claimed as broken neck, was dismissed because the claim had already been granted by the agency of original jurisdiction in June 2025.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee meniscal tear with degenerative arthritis and granted a separate 20 percent rating for right knee instability.

The Board granted a 40 percent disability rating for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as separate ratings of 10 to 20 percent for various nerve conditions. The back disability was denied a higher rating.

The Board denied an effective date prior to December 4, 2024, for the grant of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and denied initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and a lumbar spine disability. However, it granted a 20 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with the service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board granted a 10 percent disability rating for osteoarthritis of the right hand and service connection for a left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's service connection for left shoulder strain, labral tear, acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and tendinitis was granted, while the effective date prior to November 11, 2023, for migraine headaches was denied.

The Board remands the matter for an appropriate VA examination to determine the current nature and severity of the Veteran's right hip disability, as the April 2021 VA examination is deemed inadequate.

The Board denied an initial increased rating for diabetes mellitus type II and remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right shoulder strain with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and tendinitis, cervical spine spondylosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and thoracolumbar scoliosis and lumbar spine degenerative changes.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and higher ratings, finding that the evidence did not support an earlier date of entitlement or a higher rating based on the current medical findings.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU for the period from May 25, 2016 to January 18, 2017 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for right and left hip degenerative arthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle and knee conditions, and major depressive disorder as secondary to his service-connected knee and ankle conditions. The Board also granted a 10 percent rating for allergic rhinitis.

The Board denied service connection for gallbladder disability, pre-cancer polyps and colon problems, and dental condition, but granted a 40 percent rating for right shoulder injury and a 30 percent rating for right elbow disability.