Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2010

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including ischemic heart disease and hypertension, are granted due to exposure to herbicides in the Republic of Vietnam. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for rheumatoid arthritis was granted, with a 40 percent rating effective October 24, 2008.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and found that new and material evidence has been received. The Board also determined that the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is likely to have had its onset during his military service.

The Board will determine whether service-connected conditions contributed to the Veteran's death from cancer, and if so, whether they were a substantial or material cause of death. The appellant contends that diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, and peptic ulcer disease may have contributed to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service or exposure to herbicides, and thus denied all of his claims.

The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis and asthma are being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records from the Charleston Naval Hospital and scheduling a VA examination to determine the likely etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was granted a 20 percent rating effective December 20, 2006. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were also granted.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his low back injury and associated radiculopathies of the lower extremities, as well as service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), was granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an examination to determine if rheumatoid arthritis is related to service.

The Board denied increased ratings for rheumatoid arthritis of the hips and feet.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a right foot disorder, right knee disorder, heart disorder, prostatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and degenerative disc disease of the spine. The decision also addressed service connection on a secondary basis for Meniere's Disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, kidney disorder, and rheumatoid arthritis. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides in Vietnam or that his conditions were related to active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his hepatitis C, as well as whether his rheumatoid arthritis is related to his hepatitis C.

The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis prior to February 25, 1997 was rated at 60 percent and the claim for an evaluation in excess of this rating is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, claimed as a residual of cold injuries to the upper and lower extremities is denied because there is no clear indication that it was caused by exposure to cold during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for additional evidence to be reviewed by the RO.

The Veteran claims that his rheumatoid arthritis developed due to improper medication administration at the VA medical center in August 2002. The Board has remanded the case for further development and opinion from a physician regarding causation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of cold injury of the extremities is granted. Service connection was not established based on a presumption, but rather on direct evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pleural effusion requiring thoracotomy, decortication, and chest tube placement is not related to his period of active military service or any incident therein.

The Board found that the Veteran did not serve on active duty during a period of war, thus denying his claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits.