Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, sinusitis, anemia, insomnia, diabetes mellitus type II, anal cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), bilateral cataracts, rheumatoid arthritis of all joints, and left/right foot conditions are not related to her military service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's Hashimoto's thyroiditis is currently rated as zero percent disabling due to normal thyroid function.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (unspecified anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder) has been increased to 70% disabling effective July 2, 2018. The appeal for a higher rating remains pending.

The Veteran's right foot disability is currently rated as noncompensable prior to May 31, 2022 and in excess of 10 percent thereafter. The Veteran's sleep apnea has been granted secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disorder.,Service connection for joint pain (claimed as rheumatoid arthritis) and shin splints is remanded due to conflicting opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for rheumatoid arthritis is remanded due to a lack of VA examination in relation to his conceded in-service herbicide agent exposure. He needs an appropriate VA examination to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of his diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis.

The appeals for increased disability ratings for the back and related neurological issues (e.g. radiculopathy of the lower extremities) have been withdrawn and are dismissed.,The appeal for entitlement to a disability rating exceeding 10 percent for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity has been withdrawn and is dismissed.,The appeal for entitlement to a disability rating exceeding 10 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity has been withdrawn and is dismissed.,Entitlement to a disability rating of 50 percent (but no higher) for migraine headaches is granted.,New and material evidence having been received, the petition to reopen a previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability is granted.

Service connection for tinnitus has been granted.,Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy has been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and skin disability.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including higher ratings for knee conditions and radiculopathy, as well as a certificate of eligibility for an automobile allowance. The AOJ is directed to obtain pertinent medical records and schedule examinations to address the severity of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral lower extremity rheumatoid arthritis and denied increased ratings for left and right knee disabilities. The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis was not shown as chronic in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, and there is no competent evidence it is related to an in-service injury or disease. Increased rating claims for knees were also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examinations and missing treatment records. The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis claim will be reviewed again with a new examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and service connection for cause of death. The appellant is seeking service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, which includes influenza pneumonia, interstitial lung disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it is related to in-service noise exposure. Her rheumatoid arthritis and chronic kidney disease were denied as there was no evidence of in-service occurrence or herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions, including bilateral foot disorders and joint and muscle pain. Additional development is needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been referred to the RO. The SMC claim is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these pending claims.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) as secondary to service-connected tinnitus and/or traumatic brain injury due to a prior November 2019 rating decision that granted this issue. The other claims of service connection were remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the lumbar spine and awarded a 100% evaluation effective June 1, 2014. The Veteran's entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status is also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to July 6, 2011, finding that her education and employment history did not indicate she was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable due to his part-time employment as an attorney, which exceeds the poverty threshold and does not qualify as marginal employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spondylithiasis and spinal stenosis, as well as radiculopathy of the lower extremities, were denied. However, he was granted a TDIU effective January 28, 2015.