Other conditions decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental disorder, for purposes of VA compensation, is denied as there is no evidence showing the current missing teeth are due to in-service trauma or disease such as osteomyelitis.

The Veteran's claim to restore one month of Post-9/11 G.I. Bill (Chapter 33) educational benefits charged in exchange for reimbursement of a national exam fee was denied as there are no provisions within the law to do so.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an earlier effective date for reinstatement of DIC benefits due to termination of remarriage by divorce, as the effective date is based on when she filed her claim, not prior to that.

The Veteran seeks VRAP benefits for full-time training in the Professional Massage Therapy program at Cortiva Institute. The RO denied benefits due to insufficient evidence of full-time enrollment, and the case is being remanded for further information from Cortiva Institute.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized private medical expenses incurred during inpatient treatment at Ocala Regional Medical Center on June 11, 2013 was denied because he had coverage under a health-plan contract (Medicare Parts A and B).

The Board finds that there is no evidence showing any residuals of a burn injury to the hands incurred or aggravated during service. The Veteran's STRs are negative for any complaints, treatment, abnormalities or diagnosis referable to any burn injury of the hands.

The Veteran's motion for clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the September 1978 Board decision denying vocational rehabilitation benefits was dismissed without prejudice due to insufficient details provided.

The Board denied the appellant's eligibility for VRAP benefits due to his bad conduct discharge, finding that it was issued under dishonorable conditions.

The Veteran's chronic liver disability is found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant VA treatment records and possibly a new examination if there is a diagnosed disorder of the legs/thighs. The TDIU claim will also be addressed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cholangiocarcinoma is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his military service in Vietnam, and thus grants his claim for service connection.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant, and no jurisdiction remains to adjudicate the merits.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and VA treatment records. The case will be re-adjudicated after the development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to evaluate her neurologic impairment of the lower extremities. The issues of rating ratings for these conditions are being remanded.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current eye disabilities are not related to service or his service-connected conditions, and therefore denies the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral leg atrophy with circulatory impairment, claimed as PVD, secondary to service-connected lymphangitis and/or hammertoes. The issues of bone marrow damage, low blood cell count, joint aches, and dizziness caused by radiation exposure are also considered but no decision was made.

The appeal is being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing. The Veteran's daughter, who is seeking Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits prior to September 12, 2011, under Chapter 35 of Title 38, United States Code, has requested such a hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and denied the claim for dependency and indemnity compensation.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee condition and finds that, based on new evidence submitted since the final denial in January 2008, there is now sufficient evidence to establish that his current patellofemoral pain syndrome is related to his military service. The Veteran's claim for PTSD has also been granted.

The Veteran's air ambulance transport claim is being remanded due to the VA Regional Office sending notice of a hearing at an incorrect address, and the appellant failed to report for the hearing. The case will be scheduled for another hearing.