Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board found that the appellant was insane at the time of her misconduct, thus not barring her from VA benefits.

The Veteran is currently rated at 70 percent for Tourette's syndrome and adjustment disorder with anxious and depressed mood, effective August 25, 2017. The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding his current level of disability.

The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking any conditions to service or VA treatment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hip and leg disorder is secondary to his service-connected coccyx fracture.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's essential tremor is due to a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness, which manifested after service. Therefore, service connection for essential tremor is granted.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection issues were remanded due to insufficient information or need for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for a left thumb disability, vein disorder of the left lower extremity, and dental avulsion of tooth number 9 due to lack of current diagnoses.,An initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent was denied for limitation of extension left tibial fracture with left knee degenerative joint disease, left ankle and Achilles strain associated with left tibial fracture, shortening of the left lower extremity secondary to left tibial fracture, and medial compartment muscle weakness of the left lower extremity.,Special monthly compensation (SMC) by reason of need for regular aid and attendance or being permanently housebound was denied. Special monthly pension (SMP) based on need for regular aid and attendance or being permanently housebound was also denied.

The Board determined that the debt was not validly created due to a retroactive apportionment of VA compensation benefits, and thus the Veteran owes nothing related to his period of imprisonment.

The Veteran's eye disorders, including exotropia, amblyopia, refractive errors, cataracts, and pseudophakia, were not incurred in or related to his active service.,Service connection was denied for all claimed conditions as there is no evidence of a superimposed disease or injury during military service that resulted in increased disability.

The Veteran's cause of death (aspiration pneumonia and dementia) is not related to service or the service-connected disabilities, leading to a denial of service connection for the cause of death. The appellant does not meet the income requirements for nonservice-connected death pension benefits.

The May 2014 rating decision assigning a temporary total evaluation for left hip revision was not proper. The Veteran should have been granted a 100% rating for 13 months following the February 2013 surgery, but this was not done due to a typographical error and subsequent changes in disability ratings.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a visual defect, finding that his current eye conditions are not related to service and were congenital or developmental defects.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for sinus bradycardia and difficulty breathing due to incomplete service treatment records and need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is currently rated at 30 percent, the maximum available under Diagnostic Code (DC) 5262 for impairment of the tibia and fibula. The Board found no additional functional loss or limitation that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected dissociative disorder prevented him from maintaining substantially gainful employment for the period from December 31, 2012 to July 19, 2018. The Board granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the Veteran's oropharynx cancer and its connection to service, specifically herbicide exposure and Camp Lejeune water contamination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for gastro-esophageal cancer and a colostomy are denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship to his military service, including herbicide exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's attributable income exceeded both the National Means Test and Geographic Means Test thresholds, resulting in a change to means-tested copayment status. The appeal is denied as the evidence does not support the Veteran's contention that his income should be excluded from countable income.