Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, so the case is dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete documentation and potential untimeliness of the veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement.

The Veteran's service is not considered wartime, and therefore does not meet the eligibility requirements for VA non-service connected pension benefits.

The Board found that the appellant's income exceeded the maximum annual death pension rate (MAPR) for a surviving spouse with no dependent children, effective June 1, 2009, and denied her nonservice-connected death pension benefits.

The Board has decided to remand the issue of whether an overpayment of compensation benefits was properly created in the amount of $11,434.00 due to a change in dependency status.

The overpayment was not properly created as benefits were reduced prior to the 61st day of incarceration for a felony, and thus the appeal is granted.

The Veteran's lung cancer was not service-connected due to asbestos exposure, and the Board found that his death was not caused by a service-related disability.

The Board denied the appellant's request to extend her delimiting date for DEA education benefits beyond September [redacted], 2013, as there was no legal authority to do so.

The Veteran's claim for the reissuance of checks he alleges were not received is denied because it was filed more than one year after the date of issuance, and there is no evidence that any checks were returned as undeliverable.

The Board has ordered the removal of misfiled service records and requested an addendum opinion to determine if arthritis of multiple joints, including palindromic rheumatism, is related to active service or caused by or aggravated by service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current skin conditions are related to his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including medial collateral ligament strain and meniscal tear, is rated at 30 percent for limitation of extension since May 8, 2012. A separate 20 percent rating is granted for the meniscal tear.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, diagnosed as a panic disorder, is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as a panic disorder, was incurred in active service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to new and material evidence, including a medical opinion linking esophageal cancer to his presumed exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The Board finds that the esophageal cancer is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hip DJD, left knee DJD, and low back injury and DJD are being remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection has been granted for left knee DJD.

The Board found that the appellant was discharged under other than honorable conditions due to AWOL for more than 180 days and denied VA benefits as a result.

The VA has added new treatment records to the case file since the last decision. The claim will be reconsidered with these new records.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to inadequate examination and incomplete records. The Veteran's skin disabilities affecting his head are being evaluated again, with a focus on identifying the percentage of exposed area affected by his various skin cancers, whether ear scarring is painful, and addressing disfigurement.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his right hip disabilities.