Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that the Veteran likely developed rheumatoid arthritis during his military service, providing him with the benefit of the doubt.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the legs and rheumatoid and gouty arthritis as secondary to his service-connected bronchial asthma. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for seronegative rheumatoid arthritis is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination. The appeal will be returned to the Board after further development.

The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis of the right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, right foot and left foot have been granted initial ratings of 10 percent each, with a combined rating of 90 percent due to bilateral factor. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss has also been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development of her claims, including obtaining VA and private treatment records from her period of active service.

The Veteran's right hip disability, manifested by limited motion and pain, has been rated at the lowest possible level due to its current severity. The current rating of 10 percent is appropriate given his range of motion limitations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and jaundice is also denied as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to scheduling issues for a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis was initially rated at 40% prior to February 11, 2009 and since then has been rated at 80%. The Board found that the criteria for both ratings have been met.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity have been rated at 40 percent combined, resulting in a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and providing formal notice of the information and evidence necessary to reopen his service connection claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities or a right shoulder disorder, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for lymphogranuloma venereum, service connection for hypertension, and service connection for bilateral knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining medical records, personnel records, and examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's radiculopathy in the lower extremity is not related to his period of service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional development and notification.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis due to herbicide exposure, and did not address the claim for earlier payment start date of nonservice-connected pension and special monthly pension.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he is deceased.

The Veteran is in need of the regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting special monthly pension benefits based on this need.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and review of the Veteran's claims, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining additional medical opinions. The appeal involves multiple issues arising from different rating decisions spanning over two decades.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and the initial compensable evaluations for right knee and left knee disabilities.