Rheumatoid arthritis Board decisions

The Board denied increased ratings for hypertension, atherosclerosis, and diabetes mellitus; granted service connection for erectile dysfunction and skin cancer; and restored the 10 percent rating for hypertension.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and systemic lupus erythematosus as there was no evidence of onset during active service or etiological relationship to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board granted an initial rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's right and left foot disabilities, but no higher.

The Board granted service connection for squamous cell cancer and denied the claims for an earlier effective date, service connection for implanted cardiac pacemaker, and several other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor based on chronic symptoms shown during service and continuity of those symptoms since service.

The appeal for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis was dismissed due to a untimely notice of disagreement. The left knee disorder claim is remanded for further action.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of a 70 percent rating for PTSD and granted an effective date of May 31, 2004, but no earlier, for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, right hip degenerative joint disease and rheumatoid arthritis with acetabular cyst status post right total hip replacement, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, hypertension, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, fever sores, and a compromised immune system, as the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board granted service connection for sarcoidosis, which manifested to a compensable degree within one year of the Veteran's separation from service. The claims for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis were remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy and a separate evaluation for left knee instability, finding that the evidence did not support higher evaluations.

The Veteran's combined disability rating for Parkinson's disease and its manifestations is 100 percent, and special monthly compensation at the rate set forth in 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(1) is granted.

The Board granted service connection for autoimmune hepatitis and rheumatoid arthritis, both found to be related to the Veteran's in-service toxic exposures at Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to readjudicate claims for service connection for bradycardia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, emphysema, hypothyroidism, polypectomy, prostate cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis as new and relevant evidence was not received. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability is remanded.

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for the Veteran's left and right thumb rheumatoid arthritis, effective March 16, 2019, and also granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of both hands.

The Board granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis with multiple joint involvement, finding that the condition is etiologically related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and accrued benefits due to pending asbestos exposure development.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis due to a lack of evidence showing a current diagnosis during the appellate period.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for bilateral lower and upper extremity rheumatoid arthritis but denied higher ratings for the right ankle sprain and a compensable rating for tuberculosis.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, to include as secondary to service-connected Burkitt's lymphoma, due to inadequate medical opinions and unobtained private treatment records.