Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral foot blisters are at least as likely as not related to his service, and grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's atrial fibrillation resulted in chronic heart failure, requiring a 100% disability rating for accrued benefit purposes. The temporary total convalescent rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.30 is denied due to lack of surgery or immobilization.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Conejos County Hospital on December 8, 2011 is being remanded due to the need to obtain missing treatment records and properly apply the Millennium Healthcare Act.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for retinal holes in his right and left eyes are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations and the potential relevance of recent treatment records.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for blurred vision, shortness of breath, and throat disorder has been denied. The claims for dizziness and loss of balance, swollen face and jaw, and left foot disorders are remanded.,Further medical examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's current conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a 30% rating for chronic laryngitis was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's right knee chondromalacia and arthritis are not manifested by flexion limited to 45 degrees or less, which would warrant a higher rating. The current 10% rating is upheld.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's breathing problem and its relation to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether squamous cell carcinoma is a type of soft tissue sarcoma or non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and if it is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Other Specified Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder (OSTSD) was received on November 10, 2014. The Board found that an effective date prior to this date is not warranted as the Veteran did not file a formal or informal application for service connection for OSTSD prior to this date.

The Board has granted service connection for benign prostate hypertrophy and urinary problems, to include as due to benign prostate hypertrophy. The conditions are considered direct service connections based on evidence showing they began during active service.

The case is being remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion from a clinician regarding the relationship between colon cancer and the Veteran's presumed exposure to herbicide agents while serving in Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for gastritis and leukemia, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his in-service complaints or any other evidence of record. The claim was denied as there was no medical nexus between the disabilities and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's breast cancer is related to her active service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his right elbow disability, finding that there was no medical evidence linking any current disability to his military service.

The Veteran's skin disorder is not eligible for presumptive service connection based on Camp Lejeune exposure, and there is no medical evidence supporting a link to military service or contaminated water exposure. The Veteran's psychiatric disability has been rated at 50% since October 25, 2013, and at 70% since February 28, 2017.

The Veteran's overpayment of $3,000 in VA education benefits was denied as recovery would not be against equity and good conscience.

The Board has remanded the claim for an increased rating for a right elbow disability due to additional development of the Veteran's records and an examination.

The Veteran's right index finger nail deformity is rated at 20 percent, the highest possible rating under current criteria.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses at a private hospital is being remanded due to the lack of recent VA treatment records. The Board will need to review all available VA treatment notes from December 2010 onwards and then readjudicate the issue.