Other conditions decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate whether the Veteran has Alzheimer's disease and stroke. The claims are inextricably intertwined as they both relate to service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current skin disability and there is no evidence linking any present condition to service or a service-connected disability. The preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The current rating for this condition remains at 30 percent.

The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not establish the existence of any residuals attributed to the Veteran's July 2003 lacunar stroke, and thus denies an increased evaluation for service-connected lacunar stroke and residuals thereof.

The Veteran's left foot disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling since October 9, 2014. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any period of time during the appeal period.

The Veteran's hearing impairment in the left ear has been rated at 10 percent since May 22, 2015. The Board found no evidence of a compensable rating prior to that date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anemia (including diagnosed thalassemia) is being remanded due to the need to obtain inpatient hospitalization records from his reported in-service treatment at Bethesda Naval Hospital.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal seeking educational assistance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and thus the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for treatment from November 30, 2015 to December 2, 2015 and on December 12, 2015 are denied as there was no emergency condition requiring immediate attention at a VA facility.

The Board has denied the appellant's claim for an apportionment of her husband's VA compensation award during his incarceration from July 9, 2008 to March 29, 2010 due to lack of provided monthly expense information.

The Board finds that the Veteran's recurrent staphylococcal cellulitis is more likely than not related to his active duty service, and grants service connection for a skin disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected left fifth metatarsal fracture and left third finger fracture, as he reported that these disabilities had worsened since his last VA examination.

The Board found that there is no x-ray evidence of arthritis in either hand and the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that the Veteran sustained frostbite of his hands during service. The Veteran's trigger fingers, locking of fingers, and hyperhidrosis of the hands were not shown to be related to his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's vasovagal syncope is secondary to his service-connected PTSD and grants this claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are intertwined and must be remanded to allow for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and development of her claims for increased evaluations for bilateral patellofemoral syndrome with chondromalacia.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain additional medical records and determine if new evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The VA reduced the appellant's disability rating for his left ankle tenosynovitis from 20% to 10%, effective July 1, 2011. The reduction was denied as it did not meet the legal requirements.

The Board has denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for a neck disorder and has also denied an increased rating for ringworm. The Veteran's request to obtain treatment records from the Merrill Clinic is remanded.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim and granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his exposure to carcinogens during military service was at least as likely as not a contributing factor to his acute myeloid leukemia.