Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2022

The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities prior to December 21, 2017.

The Board has granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to environmental hazards in Southwest Asia.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether PTSD contributed substantially or materially to death, combined to cause death, or aided in its production.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral foot disability, both secondary to rheumatoid arthritis. The case is returned to the Board after further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent from August 26, 2011 for rheumatoid arthritis of the bilateral elbows, knees, and feet due to internal inconsistency in the January 2022 VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin disability, rheumatoid arthritis, and headaches due to unclear findings from previous VA examinations. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the pending service connection claims.

The Board denied service connection for a right foot disorder, finding no current disability separate from rheumatoid arthritis. Service connection was granted for left foot degenerative arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his bilateral foot disorders and whether they are related to service. The examiner must address if his pre-existing pes planus was aggravated by military service, if his gout is related to in-service complaints, and if it is secondary to any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and associated radiculopathy of the right lower extremity were granted effective November 14, 2017. The initial ratings for these conditions remain at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for rheumatoid arthritis and hypertension due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA).

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's feet disabilities and soft tissue inflammation of the feet. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for her right wrist disability as it was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, gout, hypertension, congestive heart failure, and cartilage condition, status post total knee replacement due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for various conditions, including left ulnar neuropathy (claimed as a wrist condition), muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, right ankle disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and right knee disability.

The Veteran's headaches were not found to meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 8100.,There is no evidence of rheumatoid arthritis during the appeal period, and thus service connection was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of rationale in the VA addendum opinion regarding rheumatoid disease. The Veteran's claim for service connection is being returned for further action.

The Board has granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is as likely as not due to his military service, including his duties as a boiler technician.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a new VA examination to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disabilities, including limitation of motion of the bilateral thumbs, index fingers, long fingers, ring fingers, and little fingers.

The Board has remanded the case due to a claim of CUE in a May 2001 rating decision that denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The appellant argues that methotrexate, listed on the Veteran's initial death certificate as an underlying cause of death, was prescribed for both his service-connected skin disability and nonservice-connected rheumatoid arthritis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for allergy disability, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis due to incomplete development of evidence and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board dismissed the appeals for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease (DDD) with herniated nucleus pulposus at L4-L5 prior to December 2, 2021, and in excess of 20 percent after that date.