Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2024

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to August 25, 2009 for TDIU due to lack of evidence showing a qualifying disability and inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for a buttocks scar, post cyst removal is dismissed. The claims for service connection of migraine headaches in the period prior to April 27, 2020, ED, right arm rheumatoid arthritis, and left arm rheumatoid arthritis are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability was denied. However, the Board granted a TDIU effective from November 6, 2019, based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and further examination. The issues include OSA, RA, anosmia (loss of sense of smell), GERD, interstitial lung disease, and a large intestine disability.

The Veteran's left foot disability was denied an increased rating before September 21, 2015.,A separate rating of 10% for plantar fasciitis is granted since February 7, 2021.,An earlier effective date of April 1, 2014, is granted for service connection of left foot rheumatoid arthritis and bilateral ankle rheumatoid arthritis.,The Veteran's right foot rheumatoid arthritis was also granted an earlier effective date of April 1, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for a back disability was previously denied in August 2012 and became final. The Veteran submitted new evidence in May 2020, which led to the grant of service connection for a back disability as secondary to his existing service-connected condition.,A right ankle fracture was granted service connection effective January 18, 2021, based on the date the claim was received.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding whether his lumbar condition is a congenital defect or if it was aggravated by military service. The VA examiner will need to provide opinions on these matters.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding whether his lumbar condition is a congenital defect or disease, and if so, whether it was aggravated by military service. The Veteran also seeks service connection for radiculopathy of both lower extremities.

The Veteran's claim for an acquired mental health condition is granted.,Service connection for a left ear disability, to include left ear otitis media, is denied.,Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between her current condition and her active duty service.

Service connection is granted for coronary artery disease, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, hypertension, and rheumatoid arthritis as due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection is denied for hypercholesterolemia. Service connection is granted for bronchiectasis, restrictive lung disease (sarcoidosis), residuals of a cerebrovascular accident, sleep apnea, and COPD as due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents or as secondary to coronary artery disease.,Service connection is remanded for rheumatoid arthritis, bronchiectasis, restrictive lung disease (sarcoidosis), residuals of a cerebrovascular accident, sleep apnea, and COPD.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), and rheumatoid arthritis for further examination and opinion regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date prior to November 2, 2017, and higher ratings for his heart disability and bilateral knee disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the earliest possible effective date is November 2, 2017, when VA received the claim after final disallowance. For the knee disabilities, the evidence did not show limitation of flexion to less than 30 degrees or more exacerbations per year.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting rheumatoid arthritis was aggravated during his period of active service from June 2012 to May 2013, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of rheumatoid arthritis due to a duty to assist error and inadequate rationale in previous VA opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his lumbar spine disability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding the need for a VA examination addressing ankylosis.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received with respect to the previously denied service connection claim for prostate cancer. The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis claim is also remanded for further review.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for service connection must be remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. Specifically, VA did not attempt to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records and Georgia disability records which are potentially relevant to the claims.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for sleep apnea and plantar fasciitis with collapsed arches were dismissed because the Veteran did not timely file a Notice of Disagreement (NOD) or new and material evidence within one year after notification of the October 2016 rating decision. The appeal for radiculopathy of the left extremity was remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the failure to provide notice of his right to a pre-decisional hearing before the AOJ issued the January and May 2021 rating decisions.