Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on a direct basis, finding that the Veteran's condition is related to his in-service exposure to burn pits and other environmental toxins during his Southwest Asia service.

The Board denied service connection for a left elbow disability and remanded the issue of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of various body parts due to in-service exposure to hazardous materials, as an addendum opinion is needed.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis as there was no evidence of a current disability.

The Board granted service connection for a heart disorder and obstructive sleep apnea, but denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis. The claim for gout was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a right foot disability and rheumatoid arthritis as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease, continuity of symptomatology, or a causal relationship between the current disabilities and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, which include rheumatoid arthritis affecting multiple joints and other conditions.

The Board remands the issue of eligibility to enroll in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's need for personal care services.

The Veteran was granted an initial rating of 60 percent for rheumatoid arthritis with mechanical arthritis, service connection for depression as secondary to the rheumatoid arthritis, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to the service-connected rheumatoid arthritis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis, to include rheumatoid arthritis, as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence and no probative evidence linking the disorder to active duty.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for endometriosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjogren's syndrome to correct a pre-decisional error in the duty to assist.

The Board denied higher ratings for hypertension and left elbow rheumatoid arthritis, granted a 20 percent rating for dry eye syndrome, and remanded several service connection claims.

The Board granted restoration of the 30 percent evaluation for bilateral flat feet and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. Various claims for increased ratings and service connection were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for Crohn's disease, finding it at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in service. The claims for arthritis rheumatoid and psoriatic, and psoriasis were remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities as secondary to diabetes. It also readjudicated previously denied claims for a low back disability, left ankle, right ankle, and left hip strain with rheumatoid arthritis, granting some but not all.

The Board remands the matter to obtain a medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left knee condition.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed as the Board Appeal request was not timely filed and no good cause was shown.

The Board granted service connection for right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome and denied service connection for left wrist rheumatoid arthritis.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for rheumatoid arthritis in the feet/toes, hand/fingers and wrist, bilateral due to an inadequate VA medical opinion.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a right hand disability, left hand disability, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, gastrointestinal disability, respiratory disability, and kidney disability, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.