Other conditions decisions — 2016

The Veteran is entitled to an award of Chapter 33 education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill for his program of commercial flight training for academic years that began after his initial academic year of flight training ended July 31, 2013.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for a left foot disorder, as the additional evidence does not relate to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for varicose veins and peripheral artery disease, finding that there is no evidence of a direct relationship to service or any other presumptive basis.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for a monetary allowance under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1805 as a child of a Vietnam Veteran born with spina bifida, finding that there is no evidence showing the appellant has any form or manifestation of spina bifida except spina bifida occulta.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as there is no evidence of a prior claim or entitlement to TDIU before August 9, 2004.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current skin condition is related to a skin condition he had during service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that discontinuance of the Veteran's TDIU effective June 1, 2006 was improper and thus void ab initio. Restoration of the Veteran's TDIU was granted effective as of that date. As a result, the overpayment is not valid.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected residuals of a right thumb sprain and chipped sternum, as well as for further development.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a psychotic disorder, but further development is needed before deciding on its merits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right lower extremity varicose veins are proximately due to his service-connected left lower extremity varicose veins. The effective date for the grant of service connection for left lower extremity varicose veins is August 19, 1996.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Hodgkin's lymphoma is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and verifying his period of service at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran has a current diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome that is related to service, as it developed due to steroid use for sarcoidosis during active duty.

The appellant was not permanently incapable of self-support by reason of mental or physical defect at the age of 18, and therefore does not meet the criteria for DIC benefits as a helpless child.

The Board found that the overpayment was valid due to concurrent dependency compensation and Chapter 35 DEA benefits for the Veteran's daughter 'A', but granted a waiver of recoupment based on equitable considerations.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a supplemental opinion from an examiner.

The Veteran claims service connection for residuals of right ear reconstruction, alleging that the condition was aggravated by an unnecessary and improperly performed surgery in service. The Board has ordered a remand to obtain a VA examination and opinion regarding whether any inservice medical care permanently aggravated her preexisting right ear disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional treatment records. The current severity of his service-connected chronic bilateral shin splints will be evaluated, including any related right knee symptoms.

The Veteran does not have qualifying wartime service for death pension purposes and therefore is not eligible for VA death pension benefits.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the Veteran's service-connected thoracic spine disability contributed to his death, and whether there is new and material evidence to reopen his claim.

The Veteran's additional disability of intracerebral hemorrhage residuals is related to a vascular aneurysm that was not diagnosed prior to the hemorrhage, and this failure by VA to identify and treat the vascular aneurysm caused the subsequent residual disabilities. The Board finds in favor of the Veteran on this claim.