Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the case for a VA examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current right eye disorder is related to her in-service cornea abrasion and sand grazing incidents.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional disability associated with treatment for an open mid-shaft second middle phalanx fracture of the right index finger is denied as there is no evidence that VA care caused his current condition.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran had respiratory problems during service and whether his death was related to his service. The records from Fort Dix Hospital, Florida Hospital East Orlando, Orlando VA clinic, Puerto VA Hospital, and U.S. Army hospitals in Germany need to be obtained.

The Board denied service connection for impairment of rectal sphincter control, a Bartholin gland cyst with abscess, a rectovaginal fistula, and a perineal tear with perianal paralysis as the evidence did not support a causal link to active duty service.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Englewood Community Hospital on September 22, 2015 are being remanded for additional development to determine if a 'medical emergency' existed and if VA facilities were feasibly available.

The Board denied DIC benefits because the Appellant did not meet the eligibility criteria as a surviving spouse, and her remarriage precluded her from being considered a surviving spouse.

The Veteran's basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the face has been rated at 80 percent since February 25, 2015. The condition is productive of no less than six characteristics of disfigurement.

The Board has granted the appellant's application to reopen her claim for service connection for cause of death, but has remanded the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether alcohol abuse was secondary to service-connected brain syndrome.

The Veteran's unauthorized private medical expenses incurred at St. Elizabeth Hospital from September 15 to October 21, 2014 are granted as the criteria for payment were met.

The Board is remanding the case to submit a VA Form 21-4180 to SSA to determine when the appellant first applied for widow's benefits, which could affect the effective date of DIC benefits.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left leg conditions as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine degenerative joint disease, finding that all reasonable doubt should be resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his right ring finger disability, finding that the evidence does not support a higher evaluation due to noncompensable limitation of motion.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The appellant withdrew her appeal regarding service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, citing that it was not related to service.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to lack of new and material evidence. The DIC claim was remanded for further action, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for restoration of a dependency award based on school attendance for his dependent child, J., was granted. The termination of benefits due to J.'s 18th birthday and removal from the award were improper as the Veteran acted in a reasonable and timely manner.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to consider an extraschedular evaluation and to issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) for new medical evidence.

The March 1972 rating decision is revised to grant separate 10 percent ratings for moderate residuals of missile shrapnel wounds with embedded metallic fragments in the right and left lower extremities, as required by law.

The Veteran's pelvic disorder, including osteitis pubis and pubic bone pain, is being remanded for further examination to determine if it is related to her service.

The Veteran's urinary incontinence due to a radical prostatectomy requires him to change absorbent materials more than four times per day, warranting a 60% evaluation.