Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for rheumatoid arthritis and degenerating spinal disease due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions as secondary to her service-connected traumatic brain injury.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the hands and feet, and bilateral hand degenerative arthritis due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance (A&A) and TDIU prior to September 11, 2012 due to insufficient evidence of record. A VA examination is needed to determine the Veteran's ability to care for his basic needs without assistance and a retrospective medical opinion is required to assess his functional impact on his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis and major depression associated with lumbosacral strain with right sacroiliac joint dysfunction and degenerative arthritis, status postoperative are granted. The Veteran's left hip condition and right hip joint condition are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD or pain from his other disabilities caused or aggravated his heart disease, which was the cause of death.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claims for rheumatoid arthritis of the knees, heart disease, nephropathy (claimed as bilateral kidneys), and neuropathy of upper and lower extremities are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right knee condition, hypertension, and heart condition (coronary artery disease) as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee conditions, diabetes mellitus, and COPD due to herbicide exposure in Guam. The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and needs further clarification of her claimed conditions.

The Veteran's CAD, peripheral vascular disease, depressive disorder NOS, and right leg tendonitis are all granted as secondary to service-connected conditions. The arthritis and hip disabilities were denied due to lack of in-service diagnosis or continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and depression are all granted service connection.,Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis of the right hand, arthritis of the left hand, fibromyalgia, cervical spine disability, thoracic spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, hypothyroidism, and a sleep-related disability (including obstructive sleep apnea) are remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including hearing loss, AL amyloidosis, diabetes mellitus type II, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The Veteran is also being asked to provide updated VA records for his hearing loss claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Board has identified several issues that require further examination and evidence, including rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, right shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, low back disabilities, CFS, IBS, and migraine headaches.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings of her low back and knee disabilities, as well as service connection for a right hip disability, is granted. However, the appeal is only partially successful in that it pertains to reopening the left hip disability claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for pancreatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and sleep apnea due to incomplete development of evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, a back disability, a right ankle disability with broken blood vessel and swelling, residuals of frostbite of the right hand and thumb, and a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected anxiety disorder due to failure to provide VA examinations.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims, including for rheumatoid arthritis, an allergy disability, asthma, and a psychiatric disability (including PTSD and agoraphobia), due to the need for additional development. The Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability is also being remanded as it includes allegations related to in-service sexual assault.

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

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and service connection of rheumatoid arthritis, including from anthrax vaccinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his education and work history did not support a conclusion that he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.