Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and deviated nasal septum due to insufficient evidence establishing a direct link between these conditions and active military service.

The Veteran's radiculopathy in the right and left lower extremities were granted service connection effective December 12, 2011. Effective dates for TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate are also established.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and the Board has granted service connection. The case for rheumatoid arthritis is remanded due to a need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 17, 2007 for the grant of service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is dismissed.,An initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for an acquired psychiatric disability characterized as insomnia disorder with non-sleep disorder, mental comorbidity, and medical comorbidity, and adjustment disorder with depressed mood is denied.,A disability rating in excess of 10 percent for rheumatoid arthritis of the bilateral hands is denied.,A disability rating in excess of 10 percent for a back disability characterized as degenerative disc disease and stenosis of the lumbar spine, status post lumbosacral strain, is denied.,A disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for muscle and joint pain is remanded due to inadequate VA opinions. Additionally, a TERA exam is required to determine if the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is related to his participation in toxic exposure risk activities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral flat feet, calcaneal spurs, lumbar spondylolysis L5 with spondylolisthesis, rheumatoid arthritis (indicated by radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities), tinnitus, and hiatal hernia, render him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment as of January 11, 2023. The Board has granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board found the VA examinations inadequate and requested additional medical opinions on whether his conditions are related to his service or service-connected disabilities, including exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluation, service connection, and other issues related to his right hand little finger instability with degenerative arthritis and ankylosis of the proximal interphalangeal joint, rheumatoid arthritis, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and left carpal tunnel syndrome are being remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluation, service connection, and other issues related to his right hand little finger instability with degenerative arthritis and ankylosis of the proximal interphalangeal joint, rheumatoid arthritis, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and left carpal tunnel syndrome are being remanded for further development.

The claim for Vitamin D deficiency has been dismissed. The low back disability is granted and rated at 10%. Other issues are remanded.,Neck, rheumatoid arthritis, acquired psychiatric disorder (including dysthymic disorder and insomnia), allergic rhinitis, loss of sense of smell, and sinusitis for increased rating are all remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for TMJ disorder/jaw osteoarthritis and remanded the claims for systemic rheumatoid arthritis and left foot osteoarthritis. The latter two claims are inextricably intertwined with the service connection for TMJ disorder/jaw osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right hand rheumatoid arthritis, bilateral legs, and various hip conditions have been granted. Effective dates are not specified as the claim was reopened.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to conflicting medical opinions and need for additional VA examination. The issues of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disease of the joints, neck disorder, bilateral foot disorder, and bilateral hip disorder are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus type II and its complications, have prevented her from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis as new and material evidence was not received, despite the submission of medical treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to confusion regarding the date of a positive ANA test result, which is necessary to determine whether lupus was incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic lumbar spine disability and denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence meeting VA criteria for hearing loss.,The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee disability, gout, acid reflux (GERD), and sleep disorder (including sleep apnea and insomnia) as well as hypertension.

The Veteran's respiratory condition, diagnosed as bilateral multifocal lung parenchymal scarring with several calcified and noncalcified nodules, is related to his in-service herbicide exposure. Service connection for a respiratory disorder is granted. The issue of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and low back disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU and do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the claims for osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia due to conflicting medical evidence. The Veteran's service connection claims for Lyme disease and Guillain-Barre syndrome remain denied.