Other conditions decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the appellant is not a proper claimant for an apportionment of the Veteran's VA benefits after their divorce, and thus the termination of the apportionment was proper.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a L1 compression fracture was granted with an initial rating of 10% effective August 29, 2011.

The Board finds that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a pituitary tumor. The positive opinions of the Veteran's treating VA endocrinologists support a finding that the Veteran's pituitary adenoma had onset during his active duty service, warranting service connection.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current left or right groin injury related to service.,Service treatment records do not show any diagnosed condition of the groin, and post-service records also reflect no finding of any diagnosed disease or disability of the left or right groin.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA skin examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current skin disorder. Additionally, he will be scheduled for a VA diabetes mellitus examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's emergency medical treatment provided by C.R.M.C. on March 14, 2013 was necessary due to an emergent condition and that no other VA facility was feasibly available at the time. As such, reimbursement for these services is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for diverticulitis prior to the Board's decision.

The claim for nonservice-connected burial benefits was denied as the decedent did not have active military service and therefore could not be considered a veteran for this purpose.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain a VA examination and determine if the Veteran's dental disability is service-connected, specifically addressing the location of caries at entry and their restorability status for teeth numbers 14, 18, and 19.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neuroendocrine carcinoma is due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during service, and thus service connection is granted.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 30, 2015 for the award of special monthly pension. The Appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of death is remanded due to insufficient medical evidence and inadequate notice.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical examination reports and ensuring the presence and etiology of any current liver disorder are addressed. The Veteran also needs a VA psychiatric examination to determine the severity of his PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his left eye condition was denied, and he is not entitled to TDIU based on the current evidence.

The Appellant is not eligible for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits because she was over 26 years old at the time of her father's death, which made her ineligible based on VA regulations.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for nonservice-connected pension with aid and attendance benefits was denied as there is no indication of intent to apply for VA benefits prior to October 20, 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's schizoaffective disorder clearly and unmistakably preexisted his military service, but was not aggravated by it. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected Reiter's Syndrome was not in an active process prior to March 1, 2014, and thus does not warrant a compensable evaluation under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by multiple myeloma, which is presumed to be related to his service in Vietnam. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran's employment with the Defense Commissary Agency shows he is gainfully employed and not unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a right ear fungus disability and thus the claim for service connection for this condition is denied.