Other conditions decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right and left foot metatarsalgia, hemorrhoids, and TDIU due to additional development being necessary.

The Board has determined that the appellant's character of discharge is a bar to VA benefits due to unauthorized absences from service, and there are no issues related to service connection.

The Board has denied the claim as there is no evidence that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability caused or contributed to his death from heart failure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's exposure to environmental hazards and whether his service-connected degenerative disc disease caused or aggravated his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and/or hypercalcemia.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU). The Board dismissed the claim.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and addendum are inadequate, and a new examination is necessary to determine if the appellant's right hip disorder is related to his service as a Marine Reconman.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's muscle strains are related to service or to service-connected disabilities, and grants service connection for a chest disability including muscle pains.

The Veteran's loss of teeth is not considered an additional disability due to VA treatment, and the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including degenerative joint disease and a meniscal tear, has been rated at 20 percent since January 12, 2017.

The Veteran's back strain and neck strain are found to be related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions. The remaining issues were not addressed in the decision.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorders, specifically panic disorder, have been found to cause occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas. The VA has granted an initial increased rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's panic disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for a compensable evaluation for his right ring finger fracture and TDIU are being remanded due to insufficient evidence in the current record. The case will be handled expeditiously.

The Veteran's back disability, characterized by spondylolisthesis, spondylolysis, disc bulging, and foraminal encroachment of L5-S1, is currently rated at 40 percent disabling. The most probative evidence does not support a higher rating based on the degree of functional impairment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical records and a need for an examination.

The Veteran's right foot injury is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating based on functional loss due to pain and other symptoms. The lumbar spine disability is also rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected left hand disabilities have been rated as 10 percent for the index, middle and ring fingers since January 23, 2015.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for death pension benefits due to her income exceeding the maximum annual limit, even after accounting for medical expenses.

The Board has remanded this matter on two occasions previously, in February 2016 and September 2017, for the issuance of a Statement of the Case with respect to the issue of entitlement to an effective date prior to October 22, 2012, for the award of TDIU. The AOJ has failed to comply with such remand directives.

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 10 percent for residuals of a right thumb injury with degenerative joint disease of the first metacarpophalangeal joint, and also denied service connection for intestinal blockage, acid indigestion, and colon cancer.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete information regarding the appellant's income, net worth, and medical expenses.