Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2010

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for tension headaches and increased disability rating for Still's disease rated as 40 percent disabling were denied by the Board.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, which was previously denied in an unappealed rating decision. The Veteran's statements from a private physician and medical literature support his claim that the left ear cyst noted during service was likely a rheumatoid nodule. As such, the Board finds that rheumatoid arthritis originated during active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection and increased ratings, finding that no valid claim was filed prior to October 11, 2005.

The Veteran's annual family income for the year beginning December 1, 2006 exceeds the maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) set by law, thus his claim for nonservice-connected disability pension benefits is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, Dupuytren's contracture with rheumatoid arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis of the right arm due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including providing VCAA notice and scheduling a VA examination to determine if rheumatoid arthritis is related to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claims for service connection for malaria, peptic ulcer disease, a cardiovascular disability (including heart disease and hypertension), rheumatoid arthritis, and an eye disability (including glaucoma and cataracts) are denied as there is no evidence of record supporting these conditions during or after active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, neck pain (claimed as arthritis of the cervical spine and rheumatoid arthritis), mid-back pain and HLA-B27 (also claimed as arthritis of the thoracic spine and rheumatoid arthritis), and ankylosing spondylitis (also claimed as arthritis of the lumbar spine) due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for further medical examination. The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is being evaluated in light of her active military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as new and material evidence was not received, and the Board found that his conditions are not related to his service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various conditions, some of which have been reopened due to new evidence. The case is being remanded for further development and readjudication.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ankylosing spondylitis/rheumatoid arthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding whether his condition is a congenital defect or disease, and if so, whether it was aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that there is a need for further development to determine if the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis or its treatment contributed to his death, and whether it was more likely than not that these conditions were related to his service-connected condition.