Other conditions decisions — 2015

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and review of the Veteran's claims file, including recent pathology reports.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Buffalo General Hospital on May 30, 2012, and May 31, 2012, were granted payment due to the nature of his condition requiring emergency treatment.

The Veteran died in 1983 and the appellant, his adult son, is not eligible for Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits under Chapter 35 of Title 38 due to reaching his 31st birthday after VA established potential eligibility.

The Veteran's skin disorders were granted a higher rating effective June 26, 2012. The claim to reopen for left lower extremity limb length discrepancy was granted and service connection is established. Service connection for the right leg disorder remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for a higher level of priority for VA medical care benefits was denied as he does not have any service-connected disabilities and his income exceeds the necessary thresholds.

The Veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical expenses incurred due to an April 17, 2013 visit to Sarasota Memorial Hospital was denied because the condition treated (influenza) did not meet the criteria for emergency treatment under VA regulations.

The Board denied VRAP benefits from April 4, 2013 to May 24, 2013 and found that an education debt of $2,658.80 was properly created.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a Travel Board hearing on the issue of entitlement to service connection for the cause of death, and issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC) regarding the waiver of overpayment claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his nonservice-connected pension claim due to a lack of qualifying wartime active service, and thus denied the reopening of the claim.

The Board has remanded the claim due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran's seborrheic keratosis is a form of chloracne or other acneform disease consistent with herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's right inguinal hernia has been rated at 10 percent since August 2007, and the claim for an increased rating is denied.,The Veteran's epididymitis has been rated at 30 percent since April 2008, and no higher schedular rating is warranted.

After considering all the evidence, including the Veteran's service records and post-service medical treatment, the Board finds that his current psychiatric disorders are related to his military service. Therefore, he is granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's disability of the nervous system did not begin during service, was not caused by his service, and could not be presumed to be related to service. The claim for service connection was therefore denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hallux valgus deformities were not etiologically related to service, including her osteotomy. However, a subsequent VA examination determined that the current condition was aggravated by her service-connected limitation of motion of the left second metatarsal.

The Veteran's degenerative changes of the right thumb were manifested by painful limitation of motion without ankylosis prior to June 7, 2012. From June 7, 2012, his condition was characterized by painful limitation of motion resulting in unfavorable ankylosis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral otitis media was denied as there is no current disability and the Board finds that his symptoms in-service resolved without residuals.

The Veteran's postoperative chronic compartment syndrome of the left leg has manifested by claudication on walking between 25 and 100 yards, with no objective evidence of trophic changes. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current gastrointestinal disability and his esophageal spasm is not related to service. The claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disability is denied.

The Veteran died in March 2008 and was not receiving VA disability compensation or pension benefits at the time of his death. The case is denied as he did not meet any criteria for nonservice-connected burial benefits.

The Board found that the appellant did not have valid military service to qualify for benefits from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.