Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral choriorentinitis due to new and material evidence, but the case is remanded as there are outstanding VA treatment records that need to be obtained.

The appellant is denied status as the Veteran's surviving spouse because she remarried after his death and her second marriage was not annulled by a court.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because they died during the pendency of their case.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left hip strain, right and left shin splint, and cholecystectomy with gastritis (claimed as gallbladder surgery) have been denied. The VA examinations did not find any indications of the conditions warranting higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The appeal for monthly pension benefits has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's verruca acuminata on scrotum and penis was granted an initial 10 percent rating prior to September 6, 2016. From September 6, 2016 onwards, a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's daughter is denied additional accrued benefits as the monthly payment for his pension was already awarded and she did not have any unpaid benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal of the increased special apportionment for his dependent son J.C., finding that the evidence did not establish undue hardship to the Veteran.

The Veteran's cause of death is granted due to service connection for the lung cancer, which was presumed based on herbicide agent exposure during his service in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Hodgkin's disease began during his honorable period of active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia are found to be service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents during his Vietnam service. The cause of the Veteran's death, which was from acute myeloid leukemia resulting from myelodysplastic syndrome, is also found to be service-connected.

The Board denied the application to reopen the claim for service connection for defective hearing and also denied the initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was found not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, while his left ear hearing loss met criteria warranting a noncompensable disability rating.

The Veteran's leg ulcers are not service-connected, but his diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for right hallux limitus/extensus, status-post bunionectomy, and degenerative joint disease of the right first and second metatarsophalangeal joints due to a need for additional development including a VA examination.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant and his representative withdrew their appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his left elbow disability prior to October 4, 2013 and after December 1, 2013 is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining medical records and conducting an orthopedic examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic atrial fibrillation, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by service and is not secondary to a service-connected disease or injury.

The Veteran's current residuals from a hysterectomy and associated pelvic organ prolapse are not related to her service, including dysmenorrhea and ectopic pregnancies.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity disability and his in-service exposure to chemicals. The Veteran needs to provide medical evidence linking his current condition to his service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for CLL due to herbicide exposure and TDIU, as additional development is required to verify the Veteran's alleged exposure.