Other conditions decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed bilateral upper extremity disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death was not attributable to service or any incident of service. The evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have recognized service in the Philippine Commonwealth Army or as a guerrilla with the United States Armed Forces, and thus is denied entitlement to one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with depressive features is currently rated at 50 percent, effective January 23, 2014.,The Veteran also has a claim for TDIU which was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the bilateral ankles and hands, finding that it is related to active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is denied as he has no service-connected conditions.

The May 1998 rating decision denying service connection for CMT was found to contain clear and unmistakable error, while the denial of service connection for cavovarus deformities was not.,New evidence has been submitted that supports reopening the claim for cavovarus deformities of the bilateral feet as secondary to CMT.

The Veteran's service-connected foot and hand conditions have been granted initial compensable ratings of 10 percent each, effective October 31, 2003.

The Board found that the appellant was not recognized as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA benefits purposes due to a separation lasting from July 1997 to at least January 2000, which was deemed by the Veteran's testimony and other evidence to be caused by the appellant's desertion.

The Board denied service connection for testicular cancer and a back disability. The Veteran's testicular cancer was not linked to his active duty service, while the back disability is considered unrelated to his military service.

The Veteran's right eye pterygium and bilateral nuclear sclerotic cataractous changes resulted in visual acuity no worse than 20/300 in the right eye and 20/100 in the left eye since June 22, 2012. Prior to that date, his vision was no worse than 20/800 in the right eye and 20/25 in the left eye.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the claim of service connection for actinic keratoses, including as due to ionizing radiation exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's carotid artery tumor and pituitary gland tumor are related to his military service, including Gulf War exposure.

The Veteran's soft tissue sarcoma is presumed to be related to his service in the Republic of Vietnam, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Compass Behavior Center from February xx, 2008 to March x, 2008 are granted as the treatment was for a condition that presented an emergency requiring immediate care and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Veteran's service with the Regular Philippine Scouts does not qualify him for a one-time payment from the FVEC Fund, as he did not serve in the Philippine Commonwealth Army or New Philippine Scouts. The claim is denied.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for residuals of a cold injury or strep throat, and thus cannot establish service connection.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing the Veteran with a Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral degenerative joint disease of the hips as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of her service-connected duodenal ulcer.