Rheumatoid arthritis Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, finding that there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is found to be related to service, and the claim for service connection is granted. The claims for increased ratings for hypertension and bilateral hearing loss are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and bronchial asthma were denied. The claim for an increased rating for rheumatic fever, inactive, with heart involvement of the aortic and mitral valves was also denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased rating and service connection were dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis was incurred during her active service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have active rheumatoid arthritis or chronic residuals thereof, and therefore, a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected rheumatoid arthritis is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD does not result in the need for aid and attendance or housebound status due to its severity. Other nonservice-connected conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, dementia, hypertension, cerebrovascular accident, GERD, and peripheral vascular disease are more significant contributors to his functional limitations.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including ischemic heart disease and hypertension, are granted due to exposure to herbicides in the Republic of Vietnam. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for rheumatoid arthritis was granted, with a 40 percent rating effective October 24, 2008.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and found that new and material evidence has been received. The Board also determined that the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is likely to have had its onset during his military service.

The Board will determine whether service-connected conditions contributed to the Veteran's death from cancer, and if so, whether they were a substantial or material cause of death. The appellant contends that diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, and peptic ulcer disease may have contributed to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service or exposure to herbicides, and thus denied all of his claims.

The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis and asthma are being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records from the Charleston Naval Hospital and scheduling a VA examination to determine the likely etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was granted a 20 percent rating effective December 20, 2006. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were also granted.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his low back injury and associated radiculopathies of the lower extremities, as well as service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), was granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an examination to determine if rheumatoid arthritis is related to service.

The Board denied increased ratings for rheumatoid arthritis of the hips and feet.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a right foot disorder, right knee disorder, heart disorder, prostatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and degenerative disc disease of the spine. The decision also addressed service connection on a secondary basis for Meniere's Disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, kidney disorder, and rheumatoid arthritis. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides in Vietnam or that his conditions were related to active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his hepatitis C, as well as whether his rheumatoid arthritis is related to his hepatitis C.