Other conditions decisions — 2018

The appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of TDIU is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected carcinoma of the pharynx, which developed due to exposure to Agent Orange during his Vietnam service. The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death.

The Veteran's overpayment claim for education benefits has been denied due to the waiver request being untimely. The Board is remanding the case to request any information from the Veteran regarding her attempts to send a timely waiver request.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability and remanded the cases of right arm, hand, and finger disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion and need for additional treatment records. The Veteran's bladder disability is suspected but not confirmed as service-connected.

The Board found that the Veteran was not legally entitled to the overpayment of nonservice-connected pension benefits and that the VA was not solely responsible for the erroneous payments. Therefore, the debt in the amount of $27,621 was properly created.

The Veteran's appeal regarding his claim for service connection for chronic pancytopenia with anemia and thrombocytopenia was dismissed because he withdrew the appeal in July 2017.

The Board has determined that there was not full compliance with the remand instructions and requires additional development of income information for both the Veteran and his dependents, specifically focusing on SSA income. The audit for pension payments is also required.

The Veteran's service-connected Restless Leg Syndrome is rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they are considered mild to moderate.

The Board denied service-connection for cerebral palsy, finding that the Veteran's preexisting condition did not worsen during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and separate ratings for muscle injuries associated with his service-connected anterior chronic tibial compartment syndrome were denied. He was granted a separate 10% rating for each of the two muscle injuries.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left hip strain is secondary to his service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's cause of death was listed as cardiac arrest due to liver cancer with bone metastasis. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's daughter is seeking reimbursement for medical expenses incurred during his treatment at South Georgia Medical Center. The appeal was remanded due to the need to contact Medicare regarding the Veteran's enrollment and any claims made.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for dystonia, right arm tremors is being remanded due to the need for additional private and VA treatment records.

The Veteran is granted a clothing allowance due to the use of his right knee brace for service-connected disabilities, as it tends to wear out or tear his clothes.

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

The Board is remanding the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral Achilles tendinitis, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PED), and right-hand second-degree burns and residuals due to secondary service-connected bilateral hallux valgus disability. The RO must provide a comprehensive VA examination to clarify the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left elbow disorder due to new and material evidence received since the last final denial. The claim is now remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's claim for non-service-connected pension benefits prior to June 27, 2016 is being remanded due to the need for additional supporting documents and service treatment records.