Other conditions decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the appellant is eligible for CHAMPVA benefits from July 1, 1996 through June 4, 2001. For the period starting June 5, 2001, eligibility was contingent on enrollment in Medicare Part B.

The Veteran's application for Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) education benefits was approved, and he is now eligible to receive the full amount of his reimbursement for a Class A driver's license course.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for dysphagia, a dental disability affecting teeth and gums, numbness of the lip and mouth, and hoarseness. The Court vacated this decision due to insufficient evidence addressing whether these conditions were incurred in or caused by military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and seeking a supplemental opinion regarding the etiology of diagnosed metatarsalgia and onychomycosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bruxism, which is not a dental disability, does not cause any current dental issues and therefore cannot be service connected.

The Veteran's onychomycosis of the toenails is related to service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment of $3,000 in VA education benefits. The decision found that requiring repayment would not be against equity and good conscience.

The Veteran's service-connected left eye disability, manifested by a wound with embedded foreign body, is currently rated at 10 percent and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected hand disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current severity of his conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current dizziness and motion sickness are not related to his military service, as evidenced by the lack of a diagnosis or treatment for these conditions during service. The VA examiner concluded that the symptoms were more likely due to post-concussion syndrome rather than sea sickness.

The Veteran's service connection claim for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his in-country service.

The Veteran's claim for Chapter 32 educational benefits is being remanded due to the need to determine whether he received a refund of his VEAP contributions, which may affect his eligibility.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for soft tissue loss, right lower extremity, residuals of insect bite is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional records.

The Board has granted initial increased ratings of 20 percent for left and right foot arthritis, effective from the date of the claim. The appeal for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as to the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for Crohn's disease due to her withdrawal of that issue. The case is being remanded for further development regarding the residuals of an appendectomy.

The appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is dismissed as it was not timely appealed.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's claimed panic disorder, finding that it is likely related to his in-service stressors. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD and TDIU ratings are remanded due to incomplete records.

The Veteran's bilateral chronic dryness of the eyes has been rated at 20 percent since February 1999. The VA examiner found that this condition is most appropriately rated as a disorder of the lacrimal apparatus.

The Board denied the Appellant's claim for apportionment of her former spouse's VA benefits, finding that she was not entitled to such benefits as she had already divorced the Veteran and thus no longer met the eligibility criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's dystonia was incurred during his active duty service.