The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the bilateral hands and ankles, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s rheumatoid arthritis is not related to his military service and concluded it is less likely than not related to or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar strain.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatoid arthritis of the right hand, rheumatoid arthritis of the left hand, rheumatoid arthritis of the right ankle, rheumatoid arthritis of the left ankle
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 23, 2021
- Citation
- 21010011
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 21010011.
What this means for you
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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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the hands, feet, and left ankle based on a nexus to in-service injuries.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the left hand and right hand have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of these claims.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal is denied for evaluations in excess of 10 percent for rheumatoid arthritis of the left (minor) elbow, prior to July 24, 2020; and for rheumatoid arthritis of the right (major) elbow, since July 24, 2020. The appeal is also denied for evaluations in excess of 10 percent for rheumatoid arthritis of other joints including left shoulder, wrist, foot, knee, ankle, hip.
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