Rheumatoid arthritis Board decisions

The Board has granted an initial evaluation of 100 percent for Reiter's syndrome from April 16, 2001 to September 21, 2015, finding that the disability more nearly approximated rheumatoid arthritis with constitutional manifestations associated with active joint involvement that were totally incapacitating.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted service connection. The cases of rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, cervical spine disorder, penis deformity and loss of erectile power, and benign prostatic hypertrophy are all remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, recurrent sleep disorder, and lumbar spine disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's diagnosed right upper extremity arthritic disabilities and his service-connected conditions. The Veteran will need further VA examination to determine if his rheumatoid arthritis is related to his active service or any other condition.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, bilateral hand, right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities are service-connected. GERD, sleep apnea, and breathing disorder were not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), left hand arthritis, right hand arthritis, and left wrist rheumatoid arthritis are remanded due to the need for additional development regarding exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.

The Veteran's claims for cervical radiculopathy of the upper extremities and degenerative arthritis of the spine are remanded due to lack of recent VA treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus type II is remanded as there were no recent private medical records submitted.,The Veteran's claim for degenerative arthritis of the hands, with ununited fracture ulnar styloid on the right, is remanded due to lack of recent VA treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for gout, bilateral great toe MTP joint, is remanded as there were no recent private medical records submitted.,The Veteran's claim for left ankle insertional Achilles tendinopathy with gout is remanded due to inadequate nexus opinion on the part of the VA examiner.,The Veteran's claim for hypertension is remanded as there was no current diagnosis in the October 2021 VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for nummular eczema is remanded due to an inadequate nexus opinion based on the absence of a presumptive condition list.,The Veteran's claim for prostate condition is remanded due to an inadequate nexus opinion based on the absence of a presumptive condition list.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and osteoarthritis due to inadequate medical opinions in the prior decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, right knee disability, and right shoulder disability. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service or any other compensable cause.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to a duty-to-assist error in failing to obtain an opinion regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to an administrative error in submitting a modernized review system form instead of a legacy one. The Veteran must file a timely VA Form 9 if he wishes to continue his appeal.

A rating of 30 percent for the entire appeal period prior to May 5, 2021 for cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD) with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) and stenosis is granted.,A separate rating for radiculopathy of the left upper extremity (LUE) prior to September 21, 2021 is granted.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis as there is no current diagnosis of the condition in the record.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if any arthritic condition, including sarcoid arthropathy and rheumatoid arthritis, is related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD (including depression and anxiety). The decision found that there was no evidence to support a nexus between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The Board has dismissed the issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for left foot hallux rigidus. The remaining issues have been remanded, including service connection for bilateral hand, ankle, hip, and right foot disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for sciatica of the left leg and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (femoral nerve) are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records from Mid-Columbia Medical Center and Workers Compensation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical DDD/DJD and radiculopathy of the right upper extremity associated with cervical DDD and DJD due to service, as well as any aggravation by his service-connected bilateral knee disability. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as his claim for increased ratings. The case will be returned to the Board after this development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies, right and left knee disabilities, hypertension, otitis media of the right ear, and onychomycosis of both feet. A mental disorders examination is also required.