Rheumatoid arthritis decisions — 2019

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that these conditions are not related to active service or his service-connected bilateral thigh disability.

Your claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and consideration of Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to service or a service-connected disability, and the Board denied service connection for cause of death.

The application to reopen the claim for PTSD due to Military Sexual Trauma was denied.,The application to reopen the claim for Acute Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Chronic Pain and Edema of Right Knee was denied. However, a new evidence submission allowed the reopening of the claim for an Eye Condition (loss of sight in the right eye).

The Board has decided that the case must be remanded to determine if rheumatoid arthritis can be characterized as a diagnosable but medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness of unknown etiology and whether it is related to service exposure in Southwest Asia.

The Board has granted the appellant's claims for service connection for anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, thoracolumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, left ankle disability, and right foot disability as they are all related to his service-connected rheumatoid arthritis.

The Veteran's lumbar spine injury is rated at 40 percent effective October 25, 2006. The Board also granted entitlement to Total Disability Rating due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU) based on the combined disability rating of 70 percent.

The Board dismissed the appeals for fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and obstructive sleep apnea as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for his lumbar spine disability and TDIU claim are both remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. The issues include evaluating the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine disability, as well as determining if he is unemployable due to his disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for undifferentiated tissue disease (claimed as weak muscle tissue), fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis. The claims are remanded for further development including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's pancreatitis, rash on the bilateral hands and above the ankles, and rheumatoid arthritis of the shoulders and legs were not found to be related to his military service or any other service-connected disability.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting the grant of TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not play a role in his death and there was no other disability found to be service-connected at the time of his death.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of February 20, 2013 for the grant of a TDIU.,The Veteran is also granted an effective date of July 12, 2015 for eligibility to Chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis was reopened and granted. Service connection for PTSD was denied, with the issue remanded for further evaluation.