The Veteran's polyarthritis affecting multiple joints, including the lumbar spine, shoulders, hands, knees, ankles, and feet, has been rated at 20 percent for the lumbar spine, 10 percent each for the right shoulder, left shoulder, right hand, left hand, right knee, left knee, right ankle, left ankle, right foot, and left foot. The Veteran's symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling, and functional loss during flare-ups or after repetitive use.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found that the Veteran's joint symptoms were due to polyarthritis rather than rheumatoid arthritis, with limitation of motion and painful movement being the primary factors in determining his disability ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Polyarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- December 4, 2013
- Citation
- 1340040
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1340040.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board grants service connection for a low back condition, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.,The Board grants service connection for a low back condition, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.,The Board grants service connection for a low back condition, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.,The Board denies service connection for multiple sclerosis.,The Board denies a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.,The claim of entitlement to service connection for a nose or throat condition, to include sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, is remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for additional rate of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of hands and feet, as there was no evidence that her functioning in these areas were so diminished as to be equally well served by amputation with a prosthesis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to complex medical issues and insufficient opinions. The claims are being returned for further development, including obtaining an advisory opinion from a medical expert on whether CVID is related to exposure at Camp Lejeune and whether headaches are related to exposure at Camp Lejeune. Additionally, the claims for polyarthritis and gastric disability are being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the service connection claims.
- Granted
The Veteran's polyarthritis associated with chronic Hepatitis C is rated at a 20 percent disability level, effective from the date of her claim in April 23, 2008. An earlier effective date prior to this date is denied.
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