The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected rheumatoid arthritis conditions, as the previous VA examination reports were inadequate and did not provide sufficient information regarding flare-ups and range of motion during such events.
The deciding factor: The VA examination reports failed to include necessary testing for active and passive motion, non-weightbearing range of motion, and an estimation of additional loss of range of motion during flare-ups.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatoid arthritis of the left shoulder, rheumatoid arthritis of the right shoulder, rheumatoid arthritis of the left hand, rheumatoid arthritis of the right hand, rheumatoid arthritis of the left wrist, rheumatoid arthritis of the right wrist, rheumatoid arthritis of the left foot, rheumatoid arthritis of the right foot, rheumatoid arthritis of the left knee, rheumatoid arthritis of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20005364
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of various body parts due to in-service exposure to hazardous materials, as an addendum opinion is needed.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis of the cervical spine was granted a 20 percent rating from December 8, 2021, to October 12, 2022, while other claims for increased ratings were denied.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the left shoulder, right shoulder, left hip disorder, and left knee disorder was withdrawn by the Veteran prior to the Board's decision.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the right hand and left hand due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.
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