Other conditions decisions — 2017

The Veteran's current right heel disability is as likely as not related to his in-service injury, and the Board finds service connection for the residuals of a right heel injury is warranted.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. No service connection issues were addressed as the appeal was for a clothing allowance.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for pancreatic cancer. The Veteran's current diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is found to be related to exposure to herbicide agents in service, specifically Agent Orange. As a result, the claim for service connection for pancreatic cancer is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have shin splints or a gastrointestinal disability, and thus, she is not entitled to service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for osteoma of the left frontal sinus was denied. The Board found that his symptoms, including headaches and dizziness, were already contemplated by the existing ratings for sinusitis and vertigo. For the TDIU issue, the evidence showed that the Veteran was unemployed due to service-connected disabilities but did not provide sufficient information to determine if he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for further development due to conflicting medical opinions and the need to obtain additional records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for lupus, which he claims began during his military service.

The Veteran's BPH is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his military service, herbicide exposure, or any service-connected disabilities. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding in favor of service connection for BPH.

The Veteran's lipomas were first diagnosed in service and have persisted since then. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these lipomas are related to service, thus granting service connection for a skin disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing before the Board.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issue of entitlement to service connection for a hiatal hernia.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death due to lack of competent evidence showing a service-connected disability was either the principal or contributory cause of his death. The Veteran died from non-small cell carcinoma of the lung, which is not considered service connected.

The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's bilateral shin splints are related to service or any service-connected disability, and thus denies the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's enlistment under a Loan Repayment Program (LRP) does not count towards his creditable active duty service for purposes of educational benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. As such, he is only eligible for the maximum 80% rate.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant, and no effective date was assigned for service connection.

The Veteran does not have a chronic underlying disorder manifested by leukopenia, and therefore service connection for leukopenia is denied.

The Board found that the injuries sustained in the motor vehicle accident on September 7, 2008 were not incurred as a result of willful misconduct and were, therefore, in the line of duty. As such, service connection for T1 paraplegia is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities were not paid to him from January 1983 to May 1998, and the appellant is seeking payment for these missed benefits. The case is being remanded for an audit of the Veteran's account.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates and initial ratings for service-connected peripheral vascular insufficiency of the right and left lower extremities have been denied.