Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) as there was no evidence of a relationship between the Veteran's exposure to chemicals and environmental factors during his military service and his CLL.

The Board denied the claim for accrued benefits as there were no monetary benefits due and unpaid to the Veteran's surviving spouse at her time of death.

The Board denied the reduction in VA nonservice-connected pension benefits effective November 1, 2014, as it was proper due to a change in countable income. The Veteran's monthly retirement benefits from Social Security Administration were considered and did not affect her pension award.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected left and right foot cold injuries due to incomplete treatment records and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's calcified pleural plaques, claimed as a lung condition, is denied for a compensable rating prior to January 26, 2018 and in excess of 30 percent since that date.

The Veteran's service-connected gastritis is being remanded for a new examination to determine the current severity of his condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for gastrointestinal and neurological disorders, finding that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral calcific achilles tendonitis and degenerative joint disease of the right foot are being remanded for a new VA examination to assess their severity.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a new opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current back disability is related to his service injury.

The Veteran's Graves' disease is currently rated at 30 percent from December 19, 2009 to August 11, 2016 and at 60 percent from August 12, 2016. The Board has remanded both the rating issue and the TDIU claim due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded three issues related to the Veteran's service-connected residuals of fractured left tibia and shortening of the left lower extremity. The issues include a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to August 22, 2017 for residuals of fractured left tibia, a rating in excess of 30 percent after August 22, 2017 for residuals of fractured left tibia, and a compensable initial rating for shortening of the left lower extremity. The remand is due to the need for new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records regarding the Appellant's application for an upgrade of his character of service discharge and a full copy of his SSA disability benefits application.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected residuals of a compression fracture of L-1 vertebra is being remanded due to the need for updated treatment records and further evaluation.

The Veteran's service did not fall within a period of war, thus he does not meet the eligibility requirements for VA pension benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for constipation, finding that her gastrointestinal condition did not have its onset in service and is not related to Gulf War service.

The Veteran's appeal for additional EAA payments was denied because he did not qualify as displaced from his home due to a natural or other disaster, and the delay in processing his benefits was not considered an 'other disaster' under VA regulations.

The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for bilateral retropatellar pain syndrome and remanded the claims for increased ratings for right hip DJD and left hip DJD.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 60% rating for varicose veins of the right lower extremity is dismissed as it represents a freestanding earlier effective date claim, not related to service connection.

The Veteran's cold urticaria with systemic anaphylactoid reactions is rated at 10 percent and the claim for a higher rating is denied as there are no recurrent debilitating episodes requiring intermittent systemic immunosuppressive therapy.

The Board found new and material evidence for the Veteran's claim of service connection for a lung condition, which was previously denied in 1952. The case is now remanded to determine if his current lung condition is related to his military service.