Other conditions decisions — 2014

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for esophageal cancer, including as secondary to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the issue of an increased evaluation for service-connected degenerative joint disease with retropatellar pain syndrome of the bilateral knees. As a result, this issue is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected left foot neuroma is currently rated at 10 percent, effective from April 1, 2008. The surgical scars between the third and fourth metatarsal of the left foot and between the second and third metatarsal are each rated at 10 percent, also effective from April 1, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal for sleep disturbances and skin disability was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The issue of TDIU remains pending.

The Board found that the appellant's discharge was not due to willful and persistent misconduct, thus finding his character of service is not a bar to VA benefits.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a video-conference hearing before the Board.

The Veteran claims compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a right index finger injury, but the appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination of his service-connected hiatal hernia.

The Veteran's claim for additional compensation based on his child A.'s school attendance from July 1, 2008 to September 15, 2008 is denied as the Veteran did not file a timely VA Form 21-674.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left and right hips in January 2010. The Veteran's claim was reopened in August 2011, but she did not appeal the denial of service connection. Therefore, an effective date prior to August 29, 2011 is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and thus the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Veteran's cause of death, arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, was not found to be related to his active military service. The evidence did not show exposure to herbicide agents such as Agent Orange and there is no indication that the Veteran served in Vietnam or its inland waterways.

The Board denied the appellant's request to extend her delimiting date for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits, finding that she was not prevented from initiating or completing her chosen program of education due to a physical or mental disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a traumatic dental condition, finding no evidence of loss of teeth due to trauma during service and thus not meeting the criteria for compensation purposes.

The Board finds that the Veteran's vision problems were not present in service or until many years thereafter and are not related to service or to an incident of service origin, including to his service-connected diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction on a causation or aggravation basis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further development and consideration of his claim for additional educational assistance under Chapter 30, Title 38, United States Code, including supplemental educational assistance.

The Veteran is seeking to have a September 2010 rating decision overturned due to CUE, which assigned an effective date of February 26, 2010 for the award of service-connection for follicular lymphoma. The case has been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized non-VA medical expenses incurred at Satilla Regional Medical Center on November 2, 2011 is denied as the emergency treatment was not deemed necessary due to lack of life-threatening conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left lung masses, finding that they were not due to herbicide exposure or any other service-connected condition.