Other conditions decisions — 2015

The Veteran's service did not qualify for death pension benefits as he did not serve during a period of war, and the claim is denied.

The Veteran's neurological disorders of the upper and lower extremities are being remanded for further development to determine their relationship to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service treatment records and the need for VA examinations to clarify the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right cheek condition and bilateral feet fungus.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of left calf muscle strain was denied as there is no evidence prior to April 27, 2009 that the condition is related to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits as he did not have qualifying wartime service.

The Board has dismissed the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for the cause of death because she did not appeal the March 2007 rating decision within one year and did not submit new and material evidence within the same period.

The Board has determined that the appellant's income exceeded the maximum annual pension rate for a helpless child, thus denying her entitlement to improved death pension benefits.

The case is being remanded due to changes in the appellant's financial situation since her last provided information. The Veteran died, and updated financial details are needed before a decision can be made.

The Veteran's claims for payment or reimbursement of private medical expenses incurred at St. Petersburg Hospital and Northside Hospital were denied as the Veteran was stabilized for transfer to VA facilities, but refused to be transferred.

The Board denied the veteran's request for government-furnished headstones or markers because the graves are not considered unmarked, and thus do not meet the criteria under 38 U.S.C.A. § 2306(a)(3).

The Veteran requested to withdraw their appeal, thus the case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge sitting in Huntingdon, West Virginia. The appellant's initial request for a Travel Board hearing was made in December 2012 and she prefers to wait for a Travel Board hearing.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of permanent incapacity for self-support for his daughter is denied as there are no documents prior to April 14, 2009 that can be construed as a claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hairy cell leukemia is due to in-service herbicide exposure, specifically during his service aboard the USS Shangri-La while docked at Da Nang Harbor. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claim for payment of or reimbursement for medical expenses incurred on March 29, 2012.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 70 percent rating for bilateral keratoconus, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the June 2009 rating decision.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim of service connection for a right leg disability and remanded it for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his eye disability.

The Board denied the Appellant's request to extend the delimiting date for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits under Chapter 35, Title 38, United States Code due to lack of legal authority and because she is no longer the Veteran's spouse.

The Veteran's loss of visual acuity was caused by a VA surgical procedure for back issues, and the Board found that this event was not reasonably foreseeable. As such, the Veteran is entitled to compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.