BVA decisions by condition
Degenerative arthritis: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a degenerative arthritis issue in 3,125 decisions. It granted the degenerative arthritis issue in 28.2% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 50.5%, and remanded it in 23.6%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 35.8% were granted.
Decisions
3,125
2017–2026
Granted
28.2%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
35.8%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
23.6%
Denied: 50.5%
Degenerative arthritis outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 137 | 21.9% | 56.9% | 16.8% |
| 2018 | 152 | 24.3% | 59.9% | 13.2% |
| 2019 | 200 | 26.0% | 56.0% | 19.5% |
| 2020 | 359 | 22.8% | 59.1% | 20.9% |
| 2021 | 452 | 28.5% | 59.5% | 17.3% |
| 2022 | 406 | 25.6% | 48.3% | 28.3% |
| 2023 | 403 | 28.5% | 46.4% | 29.0% |
| 2024 | 432 | 25.9% | 47.2% | 27.1% |
| 2025 | 421 | 36.6% | 40.9% | 26.6% |
| 2026 | 163 | 39.9% | 35.6% | 25.2% |
Evidence in granted and denied degenerative arthritis decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the degenerative arthritis issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 441 | 72.6% | 29.2% | +43.4 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 446 | 51.4% | 32.6% | +18.9 pts |
| Buddy statement | 110 | 52.3% | 35.2% | +17.1 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 1,089 | 44.7% | 30.7% | +14.0 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 218 | 48.7% | 34.7% | +14.0 pts |
| Combat service | 157 | 47.0% | 35.2% | +11.8 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 365 | 42.8% | 35.2% | +7.5 pts |
| Lay statement | 2,846 | 35.4% | 39.9% | −4.4 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 69.4% of the decisions that granted degenerative arthritis.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 44.8% of grants and 15.6% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often degenerative arthritis was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 1,566 | 38.7% | 33.5% | +5.2 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 2,699 | 34.5% | 45.1% | −10.5 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied degenerative arthritis
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established86
- Continuity of symptomatology since service62
- Service connection established12
- Caused by the service-connected disability9
- New and material evidence received to reopen claim6
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim6
- Inadequate VA examiner opinion5
- Forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less5
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim158
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service131
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis103
- Service records negative or silent70
- No continuity of symptomatology42
- Current diagnosis established40
- Continuity of symptomatology since service36
- Already at the maximum schedular rating22
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent degenerative arthritis decisions
Granted
In-service neck injuries from vehicle crash on ADT; Chronic wear and tear from service; Favorable VA medical opinion linking to service
Incurred during service; Reasonably encompassed by claim; Resolved reasonable doubt in favor
Competent and credible lay statements regarding history and continuity; Negative VA nexus opinions based solely on lack of treatment records found inadequate; Benefit of the doubt applied due to approximate balance of evidence
Denied
Service treatment records negative for back condition; Post-service records show degenerative changes, not linked to service; Lay testimony found conclusory and insufficient for nexus
10% rating appropriate for moderate disability.; Pain and difficulty with weight-bearing noted.; Does not meet criteria for higher ratings.; Right foot degenerative arthritis rated under DC 5284.
Veteran's account of June 1967 combat injury rebutted by clear and convincing evidence.; Contemporaneous treatment record noted no history of previous injury and inconsistent medication.; Credibility issues and inconsistencies in post-service injury reports and continuity of symptoms.
Rules that apply to degenerative arthritis claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your degenerative arthritis case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a degenerative arthritis issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.