Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to internal inconsistencies in the medical evidence and a lack of VA examinations. The heart condition claim is related to an in-service injury, while the psychiatric disorder claim requires further examination to determine if it is related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected optic neuritis with papillitis and atrophy of the left eye was rated as 50 percent prior to December 1, 2013. The rating was reduced to 30 percent effective December 1, 2013 due to CUE in a previous decision. Since April 1, 2014, the Veteran's condition has been rated at 40 percent.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim and remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertensive cardiomyopathy, which he contends is related to herbicide exposure or his service-connected diabetes, has been reopened. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the previously denied claims. However, the VA examination provided was inadequate as it did not address theories of direct service connection and secondary service connection. Therefore, a remand is required for a new medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding potential Agent Orange exposure and lead exposure, as well as a need for an opinion from a VA medical expert on whether the Veteran's cause of death is related to service.

The Veteran's right eye disability has worsened, and a new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of his service-connected pterygium, right eye disability. The claim will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran passed away in August 2013 and did not meet the criteria for payment of burial benefits as he was not receiving VA pension or compensation at the time of his death, nor had a pending claim for such benefits. The appeal is denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral chondromalacia patella, finding that the presumption of soundness at entrance had been rebutted and that the evidence clearly and unmistakably showed a pre-existing knee disability prior to entering service.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disorder and left knee disorder prior to August 6, 2013 have not been shown to warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's multiple myeloma, which contributed to his death, was due to ionizing radiation exposure during service in Nagasaki, Japan. As a result, the appeal for service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Veteran's symptoms of numbness and shock-like sensations were not caused or aggravated by VA carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault. The Board found the preponderance of evidence against his claim.

The Board has restored a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected accidental shell fragment wound and osteomyelitis of the left lower extremity, effective January 1, 1981.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease was rated at 10 percent from July 27, 2009 to April 13, 2011 and from August 1, 2011 to July 7, 2013. After September 1, 2014, the Veteran's left knee was rated at 30 percent. The Board found no evidence of additional limitation of motion or instability warranting a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and a VA opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected gunshot wound residuals caused or contributed to his decreased endurance, which rendered him unable to safely cook or shower without assistance. The claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's request for a temporary total disability rating based on convalescence due to her service-connected back condition is denied as the evidence does not show she was on convalescence leave for three months following her surgery.,Service connection claims for overactive bladder syndrome and removal of left ovary are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions addressing all relevant factors.

The Veteran died from cardiopulmonary arrest, but there is no evidence to support a connection between his death and service-connected conditions or exposure to herbicide agents. The Board denied the DIC claim as well as any accrued benefits.

The Board has determined that the March 2015 examination of the Veteran's right thigh disability is inadequate and requires a new medical opinion. The examiner diagnosed the Veteran with a right thigh strain, but also noted an osteochondroma of the right femur. The Board finds it unclear if this condition is related to his in-service injury and orders a new VA examination.

The Veteran's left ankle disability, characterized by severe tenosynovitis of the peroneous brevis and longus tendon with an anterior talofibular tear, is rated at 20 percent effective December 20, 2013.

The Veteran died from a non-service-connected condition and did not meet the criteria for VA burial benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions. The appeals for increased ratings for chronic pharyngitis and laryngitis, condyloma accuminata (post-excision), and other conditions are denied.