Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's cause of death was related to his service, including herbicide agent exposure and PTSD.

The Veteran's death was caused by metastatic adenocarcinoma of the abdomen, presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service.,Service connection for angina is granted on a presumptive basis due to Agent Orange exposure. However, an earlier effective date than May 15, 1997, is denied as there was no prior claim filed before this date.

The Veteran's child is denied retroactive payment of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits as the criteria for eligibility have not been met due to the application being filed more than one year after the initial rating decision establishing the permanent and total disability.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for recognition as a helpless child of his father due to insufficient evidence showing he was permanently incapable of self-support prior to turning 18 years old.

The Veteran's application for nonservice-connected disability pension benefits with aid and attendance was denied because she did not provide information about her annual income.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left upper extremity disabilities, including carpal tunnel syndrome, due to incomplete examination and lack of necessary testing.

The Veteran's left thumb disability has been granted service connection, but the current rating is 0 percent. The Board finds that a more complete examination is needed to determine if a higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions. The VA must obtain updated treatment records, conduct additional examinations, and provide addendum opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for ulcerative colitis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during active service and have been present since then.

The Veteran's cause of death, frontotemporal dementia, is not service-connected as it did not arise during or due to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for left and right foot hammer toe deformities was denied. The 1151 claim (for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151) regarding a pulmonary embolism with residuals was also denied.

The Veteran's tongue cancer is granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Orange.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional information regarding expenses related to the last sickness and burial of the appellant's mother, as well as substantiating documentation showing that the appellant was responsible for these medical bills.

The Board has remanded the issue of TDIU for further development and a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) was issued in July 2015. The Veteran's request for a hearing is deemed withdrawn, and VA treatment records need to be obtained.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the April 2018 VA examination, which failed to comply with the requirements set forth in Sharp v. Shulkin (2017). The examiner did not provide an estimation regarding loss of range of motion during flare-ups.

The Veteran's retracted tympanic membrane is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding its etiology, as the VA examiner did not provide an opinion on this matter.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a new VA examination due to his reported worsening of bilateral lower extremity disability, including right and left feet.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of an in-service eye injury as there is no current diagnosis related to his in-service eye injury.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional VA examination and development of medical records.