Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Board has granted a 50 percent apportionment of the Veteran's monthly VA disability compensation benefit on behalf of the Appellant, J.S., to alleviate her financial hardship due to inadequate support from the Veteran. The decision does not address service connection issues.

The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claim for increased education benefits is remanded due to incomplete service personnel records and the absence of a Statement of the Case.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal due to a recent increase in ratings for his cervical spine disability and left arm radiculopathy. The Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board has granted service connection for lichen planus and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected conditions, but denied a higher rating for lichen planus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current spondylolisthesis and sclerosis of the L4 and L5 vertebral bodies are related to an in-service injury, resulting in service connection being granted.

The Veteran's treatment at St. Lukes Regional Medical Center was not reimbursable because a VA facility was feasibly available and the Veteran did not demonstrate he could not reach it due to acute distress.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations. The issues include evaluations for skin grafting of fingers, scars from gunshot wounds, and arthritis in various fingers.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability, and the Board has dismissed the case.

The Veteran's claim for beneficiary travel expenses to the Amarillo VA medical facility on July 23, 2015 is remanded due to incomplete records and lack of consideration of whether the facility was the nearest available one.

The Board has remanded the case due to a discrepancy in the date of service, and requests have been made to NPRC for verification.

The Veteran's cause of death is being remanded due to insufficient information regarding his service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to new and material evidence. However, the claim is still pending as it needs further consideration after obtaining additional VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that further examination and review of the Veteran's claims are necessary to properly adjudicate his claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C. §1151 due to complications from right knee surgeries, including a staph infection and leg length discrepancy.

The Veteran's post gastrectomy syndrome is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board has decided to remand the case for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his disability, including any impact on his heart and occupational functioning.

The Board has remanded the claim for a clarification of whether osteitis pubis of the left hip is related to service or the service-connected right knee total replacement with residual surgical scar.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination findings regarding the severity of the Veteran's hallux valgus, left foot. The examiner is asked to provide an addendum opinion on whether the condition results in moderate or moderately severe impairment of plantar and/or dorsal intrinsic muscles of the foot under Diagnostic Code 5310.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's skin disorder may be related to service, specifically his exposure to Agent Orange. However, a VA examination is needed to determine if this condition had its onset during service or is otherwise causally related to service.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for status post bilateral bunionectomies was denied because the additional disability of painful and neuropathic symptoms did not result from carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on VA’s part.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a 10% rating for left orchialgia/hydrocele with right orchialgia/hydrocele status post left epididymal head cyst removal is dismissed as it does not raise a valid claim.