Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection, increased rating, and hearing loss disability due to incomplete records and inadequate examinations. The claims will be reviewed after obtaining updated VA treatment records and additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to new medical records from December 2017. The VA must obtain these records and readjudicate the cases.

The claim for service connection for a right eye disability is reopened due to new and material evidence, but the appeal remains on remand as additional development is required.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for loss of a tooth, to include for dental treatment purposes, is dismissed. The appeal for an initial compensable disability rating for recurrent corneal erosion of the right eye is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran currently has a deviated septum and its etiology. The Veteran should be provided with an examination to clarify these issues.

The Veteran's varicose veins of the right and left legs are rated at 20% since February 11, 2015. Prior to that date, a higher rating was denied.

The Veteran's bilateral shin splints have been rated at 10 percent each, effective from the date of this decision.

The Veteran's appeal is about the severity of his service-connected Parkinson’s disease and its residuals. The Board has decided to remand all issues related to increased evaluations for various manifestations of Parkinson’s disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for numbness of the left side, arms, and legs are remanded due to a lack of evidence showing that his peripheral neuropathy is related to herbicide exposure. The Board will seek additional medical opinions to determine if there is any other basis for service connection.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for IgG lambda MGUS, claimed as multiple myeloma, due to Agent Orange exposure. The VA physician's opinion that the condition is related to Agent Orange exposure cannot be granted based on the lack of rationale, but the case is remanded for a VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disability, characterized as giardiasis and congenital malrotation of the large and small bowel, is granted an increased rating to 30 percent. The Veteran's recurrent incisional hernia is denied any increase in rating beyond 20 percent.

The Veteran's claims of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a left eye condition, service connection for residuals of bilateral pneumonia, and service connection for dysphagia are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred from April 2, 2014 through April 3, 2014 is granted because he has partial coverage under Medicare and the regulation previously barring such claims no longer applies.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, effective May 7, 2013. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected prostate adenocarcinoma.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death. The Board also finds that further development is needed to determine if the Veteran's hypertension and cardiovascular disease were caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service is not considered qualifying for VA improved pension benefits, and the claim based on a hypothetical 'Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 1996' is denied.

The Board has determined that referral for extraschedular consideration of the service-connected recurrent laryngeal papilloma is not warranted. The Veteran's right hand disability was also remanded for further examination and determination.

The Veteran's onychomycosis of the left great toe was rated as noncompensable due to its mild nature and resolution with oral therapy.

The Board has determined that the Appellant is eligible for accrued benefits due to his payment of last sickness expenses on behalf of his mother, who died from dementia. The amount he can recover is limited by the total accrued benefits owed at the time of his mother's death.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.