Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical treatment provided at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida from December 7 to December 8, 2014 was granted as all necessary information was timely received and the essential requirements for payment were met.

The Veteran's ulcerative proctitis is rated at a 10 percent rating since the filing of her claim, and no higher. The Board found that the symptoms did not warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7323 or 7332.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a pending issue regarding whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a bilateral ear disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot calluses, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise that they had their onset during service. Service connection was denied for a bilateral foot disorder (including hammer toes, bunions, and hallux valgus) as there is no evidence of such disorders during or after service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for soft tissue sarcoma as there is no current diagnosis of this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected eosinophilic esophagitis has been rated at 10 percent since February 13, 2007. The Board has now granted a higher initial rating of 30 percent for the entire initial rating period from February 13, 2007.

The Board finds the calculations in the claims file unclear and remands for a paid and due audit to determine if any overpayment remains and whether the Veteran is due any funds.

The Veteran's recurrent staph infection on the nose is granted service connection, while his right thumb interphalangeal joint dislocation does not warrant an initial compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the case for obtaining missing VA treatment records and conducting an examination to determine if any current right hand disability is related to the surgeries performed in October, January, and April 2012.

The Board has requested a medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's exposure to non-herbicide agent chemicals and cleaning agents while working as an aircraft mechanic in service is etiologically related to his diagnosis of multiple myeloma.

The Veteran's adult daughter is seeking additional accrued benefits for burial expenses. The Board has determined that the claim should be remanded to allow for further development and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected Reiter’s syndrome, residuals, has not been manifested by an active process with symptom combinations productive of definite impairments of health objectively supported by examination findings or incapacitating exacerbations occurring three or more times per year. As a result, the claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses at TRMC from April 30, 2015 through May 2, 2015 is granted. The decision was based on the invalidation of a previous regulation that barred reimbursement in cases where a Veteran had partial coverage (like Medicare).

The Veteran's spouse was found eligible for Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits, but the appeal is denied as she did not provide sufficient evidence to show that her physical disability prevented her from completing an educational program within the prescribed period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental disability (claimed as dental trauma and microseepage) is denied because there is no evidence of record that demonstrates the Veteran has a dental disorder which would entitle her to service connection for compensation purposes.

The Board has ordered additional verification of income and net worth, as well as a VA examination to determine the Veteran's eligibility for nonservice-connected disability pension benefits. The claim is being remanded again due to potential failure in communication with the Veteran.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's cause of death, Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, is found to be at least as likely as not caused by his exposure to Agent Orange during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for adding his spouse M. as a dependent, finding that no entitlement to this benefit existed under the law.