The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is granted service connection.,The claim for service connection of pulmonary fibrosis has been reopened and granted. The private physician opined that the Veteran’s pulmonary fibrosis was caused by his service-connected rheumatoid arthritis.,Right knee instability and status post right knee partial meniscectomy with degenerative arthritis are each rated at 10 percent, as they do not meet criteria for higher ratings under other diagnostic codes. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is currently evaluated at 20 percent, and his depressive disorder not otherwise specified is rated at 50 percent.,The Veteran has been granted TDIU based on the severity of his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The private physician provided a medical opinion that supported the Veteran's claim for rheumatoid arthritis. The Board found this evidence to be probative and in favor of granting service connection.,The private physician opined that the Veteran’s pulmonary fibrosis was caused by his service-connected rheumatoid arthritis, which is considered as secondary service connection.,Right knee instability and partial meniscectomy with degenerative arthritis are rated at 10 percent each under DCs 5257 and 5010 respectively. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is currently evaluated at 20 percent, and his depressive disorder not otherwise specified is rated at 50 percent.,The severity of the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities precludes him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatoid arthritis, pulmonary fibrosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 27, 2018
- Citation
- 18153268
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 18153268.
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 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.
- Denied
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.
- Dismissed
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.
- Partly granted
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).
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