Other conditions decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death was not related to service, including exposure to herbicide agents or other chemicals. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current neck disorder is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran is entitled to an additional $230 in nonservice-connected pension benefits during the period from February 1, 2010 to February 1, 2015.

The Board finds that the Veteran's pelvic disability, including her hysterectomy residuals due to suspected endometriosis, is attributable to in-service endometriosis and warrants service connection.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for arthritis of the left AC joint and granted a rating in excess of 10 percent effective prior to March 12, 2009, for anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified, and panic disorder without agoraphobia. The Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the left AC joint is supported by competent medical evidence linking his current condition to an injury in service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right elbow disorder, specifically his ulnar nerve neuritis, more nearly approximated moderate incomplete paralysis. Therefore, a rating higher than 30 percent was denied.

The Board found that the appellant accepted an undesirable discharge to avoid trial by general court-martial, and thus his character of discharge is a bar to eligibility for VA compensation benefits.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for an audit of the overpayment of VA compensation benefits due to drill pay from fiscal years 2007 to 2010. The RO must issue a supplemental statement of the case regarding the validity and amount of the debts.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and requesting a VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's cause of death is related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral foot condition is etiologically related to his service, and thus granted service connection for this condition. The issue of whether the left leg disability is secondary to the bilateral foot condition remains pending.

The Veteran's service connection for left hip degenerative joint disease was already granted in a previous rating decision, making the current appeal moot.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection of a left index finger injury and a right index finger injury, but remanded to obtain additional development as requested.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination to determine if the Veteran suffered from RMSF in service and whether he currently suffers from residuals of RMSF.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claim for service connection for congestive heart failure.

The Board has granted service connection and an initial noncompensable rating for left testicle disorder, right shin splints, and left shin splints. The Veteran's right and left shin splints are currently rated as 10% disabling.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of her service-connected bilateral metatarsalgia, as it has worsened since the last examination. The case will be returned to the Board after the examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hernia disability is at least as likely as not related to his active service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issue of entitlement to service connection for atrial fibrillation, claimed as ischemic heart disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a distinct disability manifested by fatigue, and therefore service connection for this condition is denied. The Veteran's reported fatigue is attributed to his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability was manifested by limited flexion and no extension limitation, with no objective evidence of instability. The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence did not warrant a higher rating.