Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, and thus grants entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for rheumatoid arthritis of her bilateral wrists and hands due to inadequate examinations in determining the severity of her conditions.

The Veteran's son, G.H., was not shown to be permanently incapable of self-support prior to his 18th birthday due to his disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, and his right lower extremity radiculopathy and femoral radiculopathy are each rated at 20 percent. The depression rating remains at 70 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and a 10% rating has been assigned for his left knee disability. The other conditions are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine with radiculopathy, including numbness of the right ear, right upper extremity to include shoulder and arm, and left arm. The Veteran's condition is linked to his in-service injury playing football.

The Board has granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and ischemic heart disease, finding that the Veteran's conditions began during active service.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for various service connection claims, including those related to coronary artery disease with valvular heart disease and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. The Veteran's claim for right upper and left upper extremity radiculopathy was also denied as there is no evidence of such in the one-year period prior to November 3, 2011.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, sleep disability, left ankle disability, arthritis of the left ankle, and hypertension/PTSD. The right ankle fracture residuals were granted a 10% rating with an effective date of July 31, 2014.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability and denied entitlement to an increased rating for DDD of the lumbosacral spine.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity was rated at 20 percent effective August 29, 2013.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has denied all service connection claims except for the reopening of a claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, which is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has decided to remand these cases back to VA for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as moot because she has a combined 100 percent schedular rating for rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions, making her unemployability due to service-connected disabilities moot.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service. The case is remanded for further examination regarding rheumatoid arthritis.,Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis remains pending as a new examination is required.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various arthritic conditions, hypertension, diverticulitis, and diabetes mellitus type II due to outstanding treatment records and inadequate VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for rheumatoid arthritis, right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, right ankle arthritis, and left ankle arthritis. The effective dates were not established as the issues are referred to the RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left carpal tunnel syndrome. The cervical spondylosis claim is remanded for an addendum opinion to address whether it is related to service or aggravated by his service-connected low back strain, and if so, whether it also caused or aggravated any other conditions listed in the issues section.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions and exposure history.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection and increased ratings for her bilateral lower extremity rheumatoid arthritis, right and left heel disorders, and right and left knee disorders. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to assess the nature and etiology of any diagnosed conditions, as well as their severity.