Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims of service connection for head and left sided nerve injuries are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board found that the appellant does not have qualifying service to establish veteran status and is therefore not entitled to VA benefits.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information and a need for further examination. The Veteran's heart murmur is related to his service, but the etiology of other current heart conditions remains unclear.

The Veteran's child, Sa.S., was enrolled in full-time college from July 1, 2009 to November [REDACTED], 2010. The Veteran provided the necessary documentation and submitted timely forms for school attendance verification. As a result, additional compensation based on school benefits is granted for this period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for nephrolithiasis, finding that there was no evidence of kidney stones during or within one year after service. The records showed phleboliths instead.

The Veteran's benign prostatic hypertrophy is being remanded for a urologist to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not related to his military service, including presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical opinions and additional development is needed.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral foot hallux valgus with arthritis and gout is granted initial evaluations of 20 percent, but the claim for aneurysm remains pending. The issue of a TDIU prior to July 7, 2015, is also pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient analysis in the previous VA examination regarding whether the Veteran's left hip disability is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected Achilles tendon disability, and specifically considering the history of symptoms since active service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current right elbow condition and his military service. The case will be returned for further adjudication, including obtaining additional records and scheduling a VA examination.

The appeal for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death has been dismissed. DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 have been granted.

The Veteran's right eye recurrent corneal erosion is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board has decided to remand the case for a new examination during a flare-up of symptoms, and to obtain any outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his chronic musculoskeletal chest pain was denied prior to October 26, 2012. From that date, he received a 30% disability rating for severe non-dominant side (Group II) chest muscle impairment. The TDIU claim was also denied as of the same date.

The Veteran died at a private residence while receiving hospice care under a VA contract. Since the death was not in connection with service, and no other legal basis exists for awarding burial benefits, the claim is denied.

The Board has granted a 20 percent apportionment of the Veteran's VA disability compensation benefits to the appellant, finding that the appellant is experiencing financial hardship and that an apportionment does not result in undue hardship for the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis, a disability manifested by loss of balance, and vision loss are all considered. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded.

The Board denied the appellant's father basic eligibility for VA benefits due to lack of verified service in the Armed Forces, and thus could not grant service connection.

The Veteran's benign prostate hypertrophy is being remanded for a determination on whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected left varicocele.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left elbow disabilities, finding that the Veteran's pain began during his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral leg disorder other than already service-connected bilateral knee and ankle disability, diagnosed as gout, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to this condition. The Board also found that the current diagnosis of gout was not caused by any service-connected conditions.