The Veteran's Reiter's syndrome is manifested by symptoms involving the bilateral hands and feet, with clinical tenderness in the hands and reports of subjective pain. The Board has determined that separate initial evaluations of 10 percent are met for left hand disorder, right hand disorder, left foot disorder, and right foot disorder associated with Reiter's syndrome since July 1, 2008.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations showed clinical tenderness in the hands and reports of subjective pain from the Veteran. The symptoms meet the criteria for a separate initial evaluation of 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 5002 (rheumatoid or atrophic arthritis) with limitation of motion, as per DeLuca v. Brown.
- Claimed conditions
- Reiter's syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- September 27, 2016
- Citation
- 1637864
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 1637864.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, Reiter's syndrome, and lumbar spine disability have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a hearing loss disability for VA purposes and that his service-connected disabilities do not warrant an earlier effective date.
- Granted
The Board has granted effective dates of August 2, 2012 for the establishment of service connection for Reiter's syndrome with degenerative arthritis of cervical spine and obstructive sleep apnea.
- Partly granted
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for Reiter's syndrome and granted service connection for ulcerative colitis as secondary to Reiter's syndrome, effective December 11, 2001.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, specifically whether it is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected Reiter's syndrome and foot disabilities.
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