Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional records from SSA. The Veteran's claim for TDIU remains on appeal.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a chronic colon disorder secondary to hemorrhoidectomies performed at a VA facility, thus denying reopening of the claim.

The Board determined that the appellant did not qualify as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA death benefits purposes due to her prior marriage and lack of divorce proceedings, despite living with the Veteran.

The Veteran's IVDS was granted a 20 percent rating from May 29, 2009 to April 15, 2014 and a 40 percent rating thereafter. The issue of TDIU has been raised as part of the appeal for increased ratings.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right elbow disorder is not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a link between his current condition and service. The Board also denied claims for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's gastritis did not manifest during service or for many years thereafter, and is not otherwise related to his active service. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's memory loss has been rated as 40 percent disabling since July 28, 2017. The Board found that the evidence supported a higher rating based on mild cognitive impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lymphoma of the left testicle did not develop during service or due to a service-connected condition, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hand tendonitis is related to his active military service and grants service connection for a right hand disability.

The Veteran's gout was determined to have started during his military service and is therefore granted for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to evaluate his left hip disability. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's heart disorder has been diagnosed with multiple conditions, including sinoatrial node dysfunction and acute coronary syndrome. The claim is being remanded to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the relationship between his heart disorder and service connection.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant through his authorized representative before a decision was made.

The Veteran's untimely application for non-service-connected burial benefits was denied as the claim was received more than two years after his cremation. The appeal is dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for left arm, shoulder, and elbow disabilities secondary to his service-connected traumatic arthritis of the right shoulder, elbow, and cervical spine. The rating assigned remains at 30 percent.

The appellant is not entitled to nonservice-connected death pension benefits as her income exceeded the statutory limits for entitlement and she failed to provide updated financial information.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of teeth should be remanded due to a lack of medical opinion regarding dental trauma during service.

The Veteran's splenectomy, left buttock and right thigh shell fragment wounds have been evaluated as the maximum allowed under VA rating criteria. The Veteran's muscle group XX injury has not met the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left groin hernia and granted the claim, finding that new evidence supports the reopening of the claim and that the Veteran's current left inguinal hernia is related to his military service.

The Veteran's skin disorder, including squamous cell carcinoma, is presumed to be due to exposure to herbicides during service. However, the claim cannot be granted based on presumptive service connection as there are no listed diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure that include squamous cell carcinoma. The Board has requested an examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's skin disorder may have been caused by sun exposure in service.