Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Veteran's radiation cystitis of the bladder is due to his treatment with VA, but it was not reasonably foreseeable. The case is remanded for further development and a medical opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower back injury, finding that there is no evidence indicating that the disability may be associated with an event, injury, or disease in service.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is being remanded due to the need for additional information regarding his employment status.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for chronic allergic conjunctivitis is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and the retrieval of outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for varicose veins of the left leg prior to July 30, 2008 is denied as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected residuals of a tibia and fibula fracture, as well as his entitlement to TDIU. The claims are not yet resolved.

The Veteran's mid back strain has worsened and needs to be re-evaluated due to the time elapsed since his last examination.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a head injury, to include cerebral ataxia. The Veteran's current cerebellar ataxia is found to be related to his in-service head injury.

The Veteran's service connection claim for throat cancer is granted due to exposure to herbicides in Vietnam and the presence of respiratory cancer.

The Veteran received an overpayment of VA spousal dependency allowance due to a failure to report his divorce and remarriage. The debt was properly created, but the Veteran is seeking partial waiver of this debt.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral lower extremity varicose veins, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing right leg varicose veins did not undergo a permanent increase in severity during service and that his left leg varicose veins were first shown many years after separation from service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the appellant's left hand tumor, diagnosed as atypical fibrous histiocytoma. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the tumor was incurred during service or related to in-service disease, event, or injury, including sun exposure and presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board is unable to determine the Veteran's rate of pay under Chapter 33 due to incomplete file, and a complete copy must be associated with the record.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at a non-VA facility was denied because the treatment did not meet the eligibility criteria under 38 U.S.C. § 1725, as he had not received VA medical services within the 24-month period preceding the non-VA treatment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for mitral valve endocarditis with mitral valve regurgitation, degeneration, and heart enlargement as his cardiac disability was not aggravated by active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for residuals of cold injury and residuals of a right arm burn due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied reopening the claim of service connection for a bilateral clubfoot deformity and remanded the issue of service connection for an ulcer. The decision is mixed as it granted one issue (reopening of the claim) and denied another (service connection).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing procedural and medical records. The Veteran's claim of unauthorized medical expenses will be reconsidered after these records are added to his file.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claims for service connection for pulmonary fibrosis and squamous cell cancer, and has granted entitlement to service connection for pulmonary fibrosis. The claim for service connection for squamous cell cancer is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cauda equina syndrome was granted with an effective date of May 5, 2000. The Board found that the condition arose by this date and thus determined a prior effective date was not warranted.