Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2021

The Veteran was found unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to June 5, 2012 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in a previous medical opinion and the need for updated VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and procedural errors, including failure to obtain VA treatment records from November 15, 2018 onward. The Veteran needs to provide updated medical records and a VA examination for his upper extremity joints.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated during active service and is not a disability presumed to be related to exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and need for updated medical opinions. The issues include seeking higher ratings for various service-connected conditions, obtaining earlier effective dates for certain awards of service connection, and determining whether a TDIU is warranted.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis due to incomplete service treatment records and a need to obtain private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee and hip disabilities due to new evidence received after a July 2020 supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's left knee rheumatoid arthritis with degenerative arthritis and osteopenia status post arthroscopic surgery was found to not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left foot strain is related to service and has granted service connection for this condition. The initial ratings for degenerative arthritis of the spine, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and left thumb DJD are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA addendum opinion to address whether any of the claimed conditions are related to service-connected bilateral hearing loss or MDD and associated medications, as well as a link between fibromyalgia and muscle spasms/strain of the legs.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his sleep apnea. The examiner is requested to provide an addendum opinion addressing these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions. The issues include chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, irritable colon syndrome, GERD, small bundle fiber neuropathy, a low back disorder, sleep disorders, hypogammaglobulinemia, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and an acquired psychiatric condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient initial adjudication of certain issues and for an addendum opinion on his TBI residuals.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, except during a period of temporary total disability. The Board finds that the evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of this rating.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sarcoidosis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are not service-connected. The case for both conditions is being remanded to obtain additional evidence and opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, bilateral hip bursitis, and gout of the feet. The evidence shows that these conditions have been present since service or are related to service.

The Board granted a rating of 10 percent for rheumatoid arthritis in multiple joints, effective August 26, 2011, and remanded the issue of separate ratings for chronic residuals.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease is rated at 10 percent, but the Board has remanded for further evaluation due to limited range of motion.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected unspecified depressive disorder. The claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis/osteoarthritis is remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bronchitis has been dismissed. The Veteran was granted an initial 30 percent rating for hypothyroid endocrine dysfunction and a 10 percent rating for cholecystectomy. The cases of atopic dermatitis and rheumatoid arthritis are being remanded.