Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Veteran's surviving spouse was awarded special monthly compensation pension (SMP) based on the need for aid and attendance. The appellant, who is not a child within VA regulations, is only entitled to $9,825 to reimburse her for expenses she incurred for her mother’s care and funeral.

The Board denied the claim for service connection of lupus, finding that there is no evidence showing the condition manifested during or within one year after service and that it is unrelated to service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for a one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund due to lack of service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, including recognized guerrillas, in the service of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at Tampa General Hospital from September 26, 2014 to October 2, 2014 was denied because he did not file his claim within the required 90-day period after discharge.

The Veteran's deviated septum was not incurred or aggravated during active service, and the Board found no evidence linking it to any period of ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The appeal concerning entitlement to service connection for a right hip disorder is dismissed. The appeal concerning entitlement to service connection for a left hip disorder is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a discrepancy in when the waiver request was received and the need to obtain the notification letter regarding the debt.

The Veteran's daughter is denied Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits as she turned 26 years old before the effective date of her father's permanent and total disability rating.

The Board has remanded the DIC benefits claim based on helpless child status due to incomplete records from the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's eligibility for the Chapter 1606 kicker was not based on an irrevocable election to relinquish eligibility under Chapter 1607, and thus he is not entitled to payment of the Chapter 1606 kicker amount as a part of payment of Chapter 33 benefits.

The Veteran died in June 2015 and the appellant filed a claim for burial benefits. The appeal is denied as there was no service-connected condition, the Veteran did not die while admitted to a VA facility, and he had no next of kin or funds available to cover expenses.

The Veteran's unspecified neurocognitive disorder, including memory loss and insomnia, is granted as service-connected. The Board found that these conditions are a qualifying chronic disability for VA purposes due to their overlap with the service-connected PTSD.

The appeal was dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the reduction of VA compensation for military drill pay, and the Board has dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, so the maximum burial benefits of $2,000 were awarded. Since the Veteran was buried in a private facility and not a veterans' cemetery, no additional plot or interment allowance could be granted.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because he withdrew his request for a hearing and indicated satisfaction with the outcome, rendering moot the dispute about the reduction in pension.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for dizziness and fainting due to inadequate opinions from VA examiners. The case will be returned after additional examinations by a neurologist are conducted.

The Veteran's death was not incurred in the line of duty due to his willful misconduct, specifically excessive alcohol consumption.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information provided by the appellant regarding her decedent's service records. The AOJ needs to verify the reported service and clarify the relationship between the appellant and the decedent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for inflammatory arthritis, lupus, and Sjogren syndrome as secondary to her service-connected hepatitis B. The Board found that there was no current disability in any of these conditions.