Other conditions decisions — 2016

The Veteran died without having service-connected disabilities, and thus is not eligible for burial benefits.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral hand disorder and a bilateral elbow disorder, finding that there is no evidence showing a chronic disability during or within one year after service. The medical opinions provided do not support a link between current disabilities and active service.

The Veteran's service-connected varicose veins of the right lower extremity are currently evaluated at 20 percent, and there is no evidence of persistent stasis pigmentation or eczema. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on this symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have qualifying service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, including recognized guerrillas, in the service of the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II and therefore is not legally entitled to payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have residuals of surgeries claimed, and his current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and treatment records. The issues of service connection for left hip disorder, eye disorders other than bilateral retinal atrophy, and knee disabilities are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of the Veteran's request to waive an overpayment debt.

The Veteran's diagnosed cardiomyopathy initially manifested in service and his congestive heart failure is the result of the cardiomyopathy. The Board grants the claim for service connection for a heart disorder, nonischemic cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an extension of his period of eligibility for receiving VA educational assistance benefits under Chapter 30 beyond July 30, 2011. The decision states that the criteria for an extension were not met due to lack of physical or mental disability preventing initiation or completion of education and because the Veteran did not meet the requirement of timely application.

The Veteran's request for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment of $10,724.00 was not timely filed and therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant should be provided an opportunity to submit documents and statements regarding her status as a surviving spouse for VA death benefits, including evidence of residency and knowledge of any impediments to marriage.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features, are not service-connected as they were present prior to his military service and do not have a direct link to his active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for encephalopathy was granted as secondary to his service-connected hepatitis with cirrhosis of the liver, effective February 26, 2012.

The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran has been diagnosed with Porphyria cutanea tarda or Raynaud's syndrome during his period of active duty service. The Board requested an expert opinion, which concluded that it is less likely than not that the Veteran had Porphyria cutanea tarda.

The Board found that there is no evidence of an eye disability related to service, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for benign prostate hypertrophy and residuals of skin carcinoma, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for VA death benefits, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen her previous denial. The service department certified that her deceased spouse did not have qualifying service in the U.S. Armed Forces.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to address whether her diagnosed instability or left knee strain was caused by or aggravated by her service-connected left knee disability.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current hip disorder that manifested in service or is otherwise related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a hip disorder was denied.

The Veteran was entitled to a 100 percent rating for ulcerative colitis, effective at the time of his death, due to anemia, weight loss, general debility, and liver abscesses.