Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and arthritis (claimed as rheumatoid arthritis) due to incomplete compliance with previous remands.

The Board has remanded the claims for bell's palsy, hearing loss, cervical spine disability, and rheumatoid arthritis due to insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on exposure to toxic or radiation in service.

The Veteran's service-connected back condition renders him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation on an extraschedular basis, resulting in the grant of TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for rheumatoid arthritis and Raynaud's disease due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's service, as well as his other service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD), Raynaud's disease, atheromatous, and multiple calcified granulomas in liver and spleen. Service connection was not established as the evidence did not show these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as they are now moot.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for rheumatoid arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and chronic dry mouth due to potential service connection issues related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA addendum opinions regarding the Veteran's muscle and joint pain, including rheumatoid arthritis. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that these conditions had their onset during active service or are otherwise related to such service.

The Board dismissed all claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has identified errors in the duty to assist and remands the claims for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, rheumatoid arthritis, and hypertension are being remanded due to inadequate opinions in the prior VA examinations. Additional development is needed to address the etiology of these conditions, particularly their relationship to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding multiple joint arthritis, including the back, bilateral hips, and bilateral knees. The other issues remain unresolved.

The Veteran's appeals for COPD, bilateral shoulder conditions, Peyronie's disease, skin cancer, right heel disability, peripheral artery disease of the bilateral lower extremities, entitlement to a compensable rating for residuals of a rib fracture, and earlier effective date prior to February 28, 2013 for the award of service connection for a rib fracture residual were dismissed.,The Veteran's esophageal stricture was granted service connection with a 50 percent disability rating.

Service connection for RA and DM is granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure. Service connection for PN related to DM is also granted. PTSD is rated at the current level of disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's autoimmune disease, specifically rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The VA examiner must provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's autoimmune disease had its onset during or is otherwise etiologically related to active-duty service.