Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to a personal assault (military sexual trauma) stressor event in service. The diagnosis of PTSD is not supported by the evidence.

The Board has decided that the change in the Veteran's means test eligibility category from copay exempt to Geographic Means Test copay for income year 2016 was not proper and has remanded the case for further action.

The Board has granted service connection for lipomas, finding that the Veteran's lipomas are causally related to his period of active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for high-grade dysplasia and remanded the issues of service connection for bladder disability and fatigue.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for recognition as the surviving spouse of her deceased veteran husband, finding that she was not married to him at the time of his death and thus did not meet the legal requirements for surviving spouse status.

The Veteran's application to reopen his previously denied service connection claim for a right foot condition is granted. The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further examination and development of evidence.

The Veteran's income exceeded the VA means test threshold for copay-exempt treatment in the VA healthcare system, so he was required to pay co-pays. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's hip disabilities have worsened since his last VA examination, and he requires a cane, walker, or wheelchair to get around. The Board has ordered the remand of this case for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for an effective date prior to June 2012 for adding his current spouse as a dependent and for removing his former spouse from his VA disability compensation award. The effective dates assigned by the RO were determined to be correct.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a left thigh injury. The case is now remanded for further development, including an examination by a VA clinician.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses at the UVMC ER on June 30, 2018 is remanded due to a lack of documentation showing his participation in the VA health care system within the required 24-month period.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's Crohn's disease, which contributed to his death, was related to his exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation for the period on appeal, and the Board has granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a retrospective assessment of the Veteran's urethral stricture disability, as the criteria for rating genitourinary system conditions changed during the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's eye conditions, including residuals of a right eye injury and a left eye condition, need further evaluation to determine their etiology. The hip and knee conditions are also remanded for additional evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for thoracic spine DJD and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for leukemia, claimed as chronic B-cell leukemia, is remanded due to insufficient information provided by the Veteran regarding his exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.

The Veteran's additional respiratory disability was caused by an unforeseeable event, specifically the use of Dantrolene medication during VA treatment. The Board found that this resulted in temporary worsening but no residual long-lasting effects.

The Board has determined that the September 2010 administrative decision is invalid due to conflicting findings regarding who lived with the Veteran prior to his death. The Appellant must provide documentation of the Veteran's divorces, including from M., for the issue to be reconsidered.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the disability rating from 100 percent to 10 percent for stage I squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, effective January 1, 2015, was proper.