Other conditions decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's esophageal cancer is related to herbicide exposure during active service.

The Veteran's nerve impairment of the right hand is not related to service or a service-connected disorder, and thus his claim for service connection has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected traumatic amputation through the distal phalanges of the fourth and fifth fingers of his left hand is rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 5151.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma, as well as the need to obtain outstanding treatment records from the Loma Linda VAMC.

The Board found that the Veteran's right shoulder disability is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board is remanding the case to the AOJ for additional development, including providing a notice letter explaining what 'new and material evidence' means and associating a copy of the June 1952 rating decision.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 C.F.R. § 1151 for disability resulting from a right colectomy performed at the Togus VA Medical Center in February 2013, which resulted in fecal incontinence. The case has been remanded to obtain additional medical records and seek an advisory opinion on whether the Veteran's fecal incontinence is due to negligence or lack of proper skill by VA personnel.

The Veteran's aggregate length of creditable active duty service after September 10, 2001 was more than 24 months but less than 30 months. Therefore, he is entitled to the 80 percent rate of benefits payable under Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hand disability originated during service and is not a result of pre-existing conditions. The Board grants service connection for a right upper extremity disability.

The Veteran's basal cell carcinoma is not shown to have been present in service or for many years thereafter, nor is it the result of any incident or incidents of his period of active military service, including herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Highline Emergency, IRAD Medical Imaging PC, South Sound Inpatient, and Daniel Gotlieb, MD, in Burien, Washington, on April 2, 2014, through April 4, 2014, was denied as the Veteran had other health-plan coverage that paid for his emergency treatment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially to his death from liver cancer, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current thoracic spine disability is related to her heavy lifting and wearing of heavy packs during service, granting her claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the avascular necrosis of both femoral heads is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected COPD and ankylosing spondylosis, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to the need to obtain additional VA treatment records and provide an addendum opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected trauma disorder.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability, diagnosed as dermatitis, to include of the face, ears, and groin. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a right testicle epididymal cyst is remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Board is remanding the case for further development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the AOJ.

The Veteran's brain cancer is service-connected as a result of herbicide exposure in Vietnam.,The Veteran's cause of death was due to his diagnosed brain cancer.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development to obtain private medical records and an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected post-operative residuals of a tumor of the bladder caused or contributed substantially or materially to his death.