Other conditions decisions — 2015

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for his left inguinal hernia, status post herniorrhaphy has been denied as the disability does not meet the criteria for a 10% rating under Diagnostic Code 7338.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, an autoimmune disease, nodular scleritis, and neutropenia. The case is REMANDED to obtain additional medical records and provide further examination opinions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The appellant's remarriage terminated by her second spouse's death in 2012 does not qualify her as the surviving spouse for pension purposes due to a lack of exception under VA regulations.

The Board denied service connection for a pilonidal cyst, finding no current disability and noting that the Veteran's condition did not meet any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has ordered a remand due to missing records from the appellant's virtual claims file, including her December 2012 request for waiver and July 2013 notice of disagreement. The case will be readjudicated based on all available evidence.

The Board has ordered a remand due to missing records from the appellant's virtual claims file, including her December 2012 request for waiver and July 2013 notice of disagreement. The case will be readjudicated based on all available evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations. The issues of increased rating for hearing loss disability, effective date prior to July 6, 2011 for service connection for the hearing loss disability, and special monthly compensation due to need for aid and attendance are also being held in abeyance pending resolution of the hearing loss issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's recurrent symptoms, including coughing, headaches, myalgias, and dizziness, were not caused by his in-service rickettsial infection.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and consideration of his lay statements regarding his symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for PVD, finding that the evidence did not support a link to herbicide exposure or secondary to service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's residual disability of right cerebellar ischemia is proximately due to his service-connected ischemic heart disease with pacemaker implantation, and thus grants service connection for this condition. However, the Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral macular degeneration is not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or any other service-connected condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a pain disorder, finding that there is no evidence of such a condition during active service or for many years thereafter. The Board also found that any current pain disorder was not caused by or related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board is remanding the case to determine if the VA's May 2006 rating decision, which assigned an effective date of September 28, 2005 for DIC benefits, can be revised due to a clear and unmistakable error. The appellant argues that the RO should have processed an informal claim for survivor benefits given the Veteran's death in December 2003.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's kidney disorder and a determination of whether service connection is warranted on a direct basis or as secondary to his sarcoidosis. The Veteran's appeal of the disability rating for eczema will also be scheduled for a Board hearing via videoconference.

The Board found that the Veteran's essential tremor of the bilateral hands was not caused by exposure to an herbicide agent such as Agent Orange and is not otherwise related to any incident of service.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of private medical expenses incurred at a non-VA medical facility from December 16, 2014 to December 26, 2014 is denied as the Veteran has coverage under Medicare Parts A and B.

The Veteran claims that his currently diagnosed reactive arthritis was aggravated by service. The Board will need to determine if the tardy ulnar nerve condition noted at enlistment is related to reactive arthritis and/or whether it increased in severity during service.

The Veteran's arthritis of both thumbs was incurred in service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right hip deformity has not manifested intermediate ankylosis, and therefore does not warrant a higher evaluation.