BVA decisions by condition
Osteoarthritis: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a osteoarthritis issue in 11,261 decisions. It granted the osteoarthritis issue in 19.5% of them, close to the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 34.6%, and remanded it in 45.8%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 36.1% were granted.
Decisions
11,261
2017–2026
Granted
19.5%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
36.1%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
45.8%
Denied: 34.6%
Osteoarthritis outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 761 | 16.0% | 37.7% | 42.3% |
| 2018 | 994 | 15.4% | 42.6% | 40.9% |
| 2019 | 1,258 | 14.8% | 37.5% | 48.4% |
| 2020 | 1,477 | 17.3% | 38.8% | 44.4% |
| 2021 | 1,451 | 16.8% | 38.5% | 45.1% |
| 2022 | 1,250 | 21.1% | 29.0% | 49.8% |
| 2023 | 1,312 | 21.2% | 28.4% | 50.7% |
| 2024 | 1,268 | 25.2% | 30.4% | 45.3% |
| 2025 | 1,089 | 22.9% | 31.9% | 44.4% |
| 2026 | 401 | 32.4% | 28.7% | 40.1% |
Evidence in granted and denied osteoarthritis decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the osteoarthritis 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 | 1,550 | 74.6% | 26.5% | +48.1 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 557 | 62.0% | 34.3% | +27.8 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 1,211 | 59.4% | 31.7% | +27.7 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 3,141 | 48.7% | 29.3% | +19.3 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 1,733 | 52.2% | 33.5% | +18.7 pts |
| Buddy statement | 287 | 51.5% | 35.6% | +15.9 pts |
| Combat service | 464 | 49.3% | 35.4% | +13.9 pts |
| Lay statement | 9,064 | 35.7% | 39.3% | −3.6 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 74.3% of the decisions that granted osteoarthritis.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 47.2% of grants and 14.2% 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 osteoarthritis 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 | 5,053 | 39.8% | 32.0% | +7.7 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 8,192 | 34.8% | 41.7% | −6.8 pts |
Osteoarthritis claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where osteoarthritis was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
Why the Board granted or denied osteoarthritis
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established377
- Continuity of symptomatology since service161
- Caused by the service-connected disability82
- Service connection established44
- Criteria for service connection met41
- Evidence evenly balanced19
- Evidence at least evenly balanced16
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service15
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim432
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis406
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service371
- Service records negative or silent247
- No current diagnosis198
- No continuity of symptomatology152
- Current diagnosis established132
- Continuity of symptomatology since service65
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 osteoarthritis decisions
Granted
Veteran reported in-service injury and treatment for left knee; STRs unavailable, despite multiple attempts to locate; Inadequate VA examiner opinions that did not consider lay statements or provide adequate rationales
Preexisting condition noted at entry, rebutting presumption of soundness.; In-service findings and Veteran's credible reports indicate worsening beyond natural progression.; Conflicting VA medical opinions and MEB conclusion are less persuasive than Veteran's account and treating provider's opinion.; Evidence in approximate balance, resolving doubt in Veteran's favor.
Veteran reported in-service injury from parachute landing; Lay testimony found credible and given significant weight; VA examinations deemed inadequate for failing to address nexus; Private opinion qualified and used incorrect legal standard; Benefit of the doubt applied due to approximate balance of evidence
Denied
Denied rating exceeding 10 percent.; No evidence of ankylosis, dislocation, or removal of semilunar cartilage.; No evidence of instability requiring brace/assistive device.
No current diagnosis of skeletal arthritis; No objective evidence of functional impairment; No in-service complaints
No in-service complaints, diagnosis, or treatment for right knee disability.; Right knee injury occurred post-service (flag football in 2009).; VA examiners opined less likely than not related to service.
Rules that apply to osteoarthritis 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 osteoarthritis 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 osteoarthritis 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.