Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's hepatitis C was incurred during service, and therefore grants service connection for hepatitis C. The issue of secondary service connection for rheumatoid arthritis remains pending.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were denied. The Board notes that the Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding entitlement to an effective date earlier than February 12, 2009, for the grant of service connection for bursitis of the right elbow and osteomyelitis, to include on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for foot fungus, rheumatoid arthritis, and heart condition (claimed as atrial fibrillation) have been denied. The Board found no current disability for the claimed conditions and insufficient evidence to establish a link between any diagnosed condition and military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection, effective dates, and CUE motions. The appeal seeking an earlier effective date prior to October 30, 1992, for the grant of service connection for PTSD was dismissed as a matter of law. The March 1993 rating decision was found to have been clearly and unmistakably erroneous in not assigning an earlier effective date.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and rheumatoid arthritis due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange) during service. The Veteran's diabetes was attributed to prednisone use rather than Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination for the Veteran's service-connected radiculopathy of the right lower extremity. The appeal will be remanded to the agency of original jurisdiction.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disorder (degenerative joint disease with total knee replacement) and found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee condition. The right knee disorder is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its secondary nature to the left knee disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional treatment records and a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting opinions on whether the Veteran's multiple joint arthritis and bilateral knee disability are related to service. Further development is needed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination of his left knee and ankle disabilities, which are residuals of Reiter's syndrome.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including scoliosis of the lumbar spine and rheumatoid arthritis (implied by left lower extremity radiculopathy), render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and a right heel condition. The claim for residuals of a left ankle fracture was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is at least as likely as not incurred in service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for LGV, service connection for hypertension, and bilateral knee disability are all denied.,There is no evidence of any service-connected condition that caused or aggravated the Veteran's current hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis of all major joints, including the thoracolumbar spine, feet, hips, and shoulders was denied as there is no evidence that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's claims for a temporary total evaluation based on convalescence and TDIU were denied, as the claim for a temporary total evaluation was not timely filed. The July 2007 rating decision assigning a 10 percent disability rating for his back disability was found to be correct in both fact and law.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability or a condition for which he had service connection, and thus denied both his claim for cause of death benefits and his claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 30, 2010 for the award of TDIU and a rating of 70% for lumbosacral strain. The earlier effective dates for right lower extremity radiculopathy are also granted.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a direct or secondary service connection for arthritis in the Veteran's hands, and thus denied the claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination.