Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a disability of the bilateral knees and ankles, claimed as rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, is being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions and need for clarification regarding her diagnoses.

The Veteran's death is being remanded for a VA medical opinion to determine if his service-connected conditions contributed to his cause of death. The DIC claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is also inextricably intertwined and will be remanded as well.

The Board has remanded the case for a Travel Board hearing at the RO due to the departure of the Acting Veterans Law Judge who conducted the August 2012 videoconference hearing.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for DJD of the left knee, status post total knee replacement. The evidence shows that the Veteran sustained a shrapnel injury to his leg in service and experienced ongoing left knee pain since then. His current diagnosis of DJD is related to his military service.

The Veteran is unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment as a result of his service-connected disabilities, specifically rheumatic arthritis, rheumatic heart disease, and rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatosis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of osteoarthritis of the knees was denied. For his service-connected rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis of the hands and wrists, he is granted a 10% rating for each hand and wrist, but not higher.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lung disorder, an eye disability, and rheumatoid arthritis, all claimed as due to herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss, as well as her claims for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its related conditions. The decision also noted that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's claimed conditions were not shown during active duty service, within one year of discharge, and are not related to service or toxic herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis was rated at 10 percent prior to January 30, 2004 and remains rated at 10 percent from that date forward.

The Board has granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis as secondary to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of whether extraschedular evaluation is warranted.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal because his timely substantive appeal was not filed within 60 days of the March 2007 statement of the case or within one year of the August 2006 notification of the determination being appealed.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims for increased ratings for various elbow and ankle disabilities.

The evidence does not establish that the Veteran's current right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, or rheumatoid arthritis began during his military service.,There is no medical evidence of a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in the record.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis is being remanded due to the need for an examination and opinion regarding its onset during his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating or an earlier effective date for his right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development due to missing VA treatment records and a need for another VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to afford her the opportunity for a Travel Board hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after the hearing.