The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of multiple joints are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Board has identified several issues that must be addressed, including those related to RA of the cervical spine, right and left shoulders, and wrists.
The deciding factor: Issues involving increased ratings for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of multiple joints are being remanded due to the need for additional development.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of the right shoulder, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of the left shoulder, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of the right wrist, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of the left wrist, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of the cervical spine, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of the right elbow, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of the left elbow, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of the right knee, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of the left knee, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of the right foot, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of the left foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 24, 2023
- Citation
- 23057628
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 23057628.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The rating for RA of the right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, right ankle, and left ankle are all denied. A separate 10% rating is granted for RA of the right hand. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and TDIU prior to October 3, 2014 were also denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.