Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal was not timely filed, so his claim for service connection for bilateral leg instability and pain is denied.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of non-VA medical expenses at the Mayo Clinic Health System in October 2013 is being remanded due to a change in regulation regarding coverage under health plans. The VA needs to determine if the remaining criteria for payment have been met.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by service-connected conditions or exposure to herbicide agents in the Vietnam War. The Board denied both the claim for service connection and the request for accrued benefits.

The Board denied service connection for a gynecological disability and a skin disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has decided that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's claim of entitlement to a clothing allowance, and it has been remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination. The claims for an increased rating and TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has decided to remand the case for obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and allowing the Veteran an opportunity to submit additional evidence. The claim will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's surviving spouse was entitled to increased special monthly pension benefits for a period from November 2011 to August 2012, based on the need for aid and attendance. The total amount of additional pension benefits that the surviving spouse was entitled to during this period is $3,905.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date than September 1, 2010, for the change to/grant of additional compensation benefits for his dependent spouse and child. The decision stated that evidence of dependency status was not submitted within one year of notification.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have Crohn's disease that is related to his military service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including an updated VA examination to evaluate his heart condition.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a respiratory disability, including interstitial lung disease and hypersensitive pneumonitis, was granted. The condition is considered to have been aggravated by his military service due to exposure to toxins and dust during deployments.

The Veteran died at a private facility and did not have any pending claims for VA benefits. Therefore, the criteria for nonservice-connected burial benefits are not met.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding the identity and affiliation of the care providers who performed the Veteran's dental procedure at UNC School of Dentistry. The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional disability resulting from this procedure.

The Veteran's death was not due to service, and the appellant did not submit her claim within two years of his cremation. Therefore, non-service-connected burial benefits are denied.

The Veteran's appeal for benefits under the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) beyond March 21, 2014 was denied as VA did not receive certification of his change in enrollment period extending through May 29, 2014, until after the expiration of the VRAP on March 31, 2014.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the invalidity of a regulation that previously barred him from reimbursement for non-VA medical expenses. The case will be readjudicated based on current regulations and evidence.

The Veteran's right upper extremity disability is rated at 30 percent from January 21, 2014. The Board finds that the current rating adequately reflects her symptoms and symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was a full-time student during the terms from September 19, 2013 to October 22, 2013, and from October 24, 2013 to December 5, 2013, for purposes of VRAP benefits. As such, eligibility for these benefits has been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right clavicle injury and subsequent arthritis did not occur during service, nor are they presumed to have occurred due to military service. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service.