Other conditions decisions — 2016

The Board found no evidence of a current lung disorder and concluded that the Veteran's claimed condition is not related to his service, including presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's right little finger sprain and post-traumatic arthropathy have been rated as a 10 percent disability, effective from the date his claim was received.

The Veteran does not have a chronic disability manifested by sleep disturbances, memory loss, or neuropsychological symptoms that is related to his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as mood disorder, is proximately due to his service-connected knee disabilities and grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder with depression caused or aggravated his use of tobacco and marijuana, which in turn led to his carcinoma of the larynx. The examiner is also requested to address whether the Veteran's myocardial infarction was etiologically related to his active service.

The Veteran's death was caused by squamous cell carcinoma, which is presumed to have resulted from his exposure to Agent Orange during service. The appellant's claim for accrued benefits related to the same condition is also granted.

The Board finds that the Veteran's respiratory disability did not have its onset during military service or is otherwise related to such service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted a rating in excess of 30 percent for celiac sprue, and found that the Veteran's arthralgia is secondary to her service-connected lupus.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed bilateral foot condition, which is presumed to be related to his exposure to tactical herbicides in Vietnam.

The Veteran's DJD of the right knee resulted in limited motion, with pain and swelling. The Board granted a 10 percent rating for his DJD prior to April 4, 2014, and separate ratings for limitation of flexion from April 4, 2014, to June 3, 2014.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to assess the current state of the Veteran's Tourette's syndrome, as the previous examinations did not address the severity and muscle groups involved in his tics.

The Veteran seeks reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred at St. Peters Hospital in Helena, Montana on December 26, 2013. The case is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the eligibility criteria and treatment details.

The Board has denied service connection for sickle cell trait, joint disease including bilateral hands, elbows, and hips, and blackouts with memory loss as the evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities related to these conditions. The Veteran's claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a statement of the case regarding the issue of entitlement to an increased disability rating for otitis media. The TDIU claim remains inextricably intertwined with this issue and must be adjudicated together.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his left hand disability.

The Board has determined that the debt for the overpayment of VA education benefits was properly created and grants a waiver of recovery of the $3,000.00 overpayment.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the Veteran had exposure to ionizing radiation during service, which could potentially affect his claim for cause of death. The appellant's request for dental x-rays at a private clinic is also being addressed.

The Veteran's right hip and upper right femur disorder was caused by an event not reasonably foreseeable resulting from a VA surgical procedure, leading to the grant of compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Veteran's right ear otitis media and associated neurological symptoms are rated at the highest schedular levels. A separate rating is granted for his otitis externa, and he meets criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's respiratory disorder pre-existed service and did not undergo a permanent increase in severity during service, thus denying his claim for service connection.