Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2021

The claim for service connection for mixed hyperlipidemia was denied as new and material evidence was not submitted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, anemia, chronic kidney disease, respiratory disability, rheumatoid arthritis, and psychiatric disability were granted due to in-service noise exposure during combat in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA examination, and now requires one to determine if the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is related to his in-service exposure to depleted uranium.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions prior to April 4, 2013 prevented him from securing and maintaining gainful employment consistent with his educational background and employment history.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 29, 2016 for the grant of TDIU. The evidence did not show that the Veteran was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation solely due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for inflammatory polyarthropathy/ rheumatoid arthritis, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his condition and his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his low back disability prior to June 14, 2011 and from June 14, 2011 to April 15, 2018. The claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for the low back disability beginning April 15, 2018 is also remanded. Additionally, the Veteran's claim for total disability due to individual unemployability is being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis and his service-connected non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, as well as Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and an increased rating for migraine headaches due to the appellant's withdrawal of these claims.

The Veteran's appeal for a separate rating for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating.,The Veteran's bilateral pes cavus associated with RA is currently rated at 10 percent and the VA examination did not adequately assess his flare-ups, but the preponderance of evidence still supports denying an increased rating.,The Veteran's bilateral thumbs associated with RA are currently rated at 10 percent and the VA examination did not provide sufficient information to support a higher rating.,The Veteran's bilateral index fingers associated with RA are currently rated at 10 percent and the VA examination did not provide sufficient information to support a higher rating.,The Veteran's bilateral long fingers associated with RA are currently rated at 10 percent and the VA examination did not provide sufficient information to support a higher rating.,The Veteran's bilateral ring fingers associated with RA are currently rated at noncompensable (0%) as there is no compensable schedular rating available.

The Board denied a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, finding that they did not render him unemployable.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and headaches, finding insufficient evidence to resolve the claims. The Veteran is required to provide clarification regarding the onset of his rheumatoid arthritis and a VA examiner must determine whether it was incurred during ACDUTRA.

The request to reopen the claim for service connection for diverticulitis previously claimed as stomach condition (gastritis/pancreatitis) is dismissed.,New and material evidence has been received for service connection for a knee condition, and the request to reopen the claim is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with sacroiliac injury, and radiculopathy of the lower extremities, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. As such, he is granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment as of July 2, 2009. The Board granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of stroke, pneumothorax, lumbar scoliosis with degenerative disc disease/degenerative joint disease, and radiculopathy are all denied.,Service connection is not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as they do not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Board has granted a higher initial rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease, effective from November 2012. Separate ratings of 20 percent have been granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with this condition. Other issues related to the Veteran's back disability remain pending and are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the bilateral hands and ankles, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examinations and the need for new evaluations, as well as the need to obtain additional private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and chronic thyroiditis due to inadequate examinations conducted by physician assistants instead of requested specialists, and because the examinations did not adequately address whether the Veteran's symptoms during active service were early manifestations of her later diagnosed conditions.