Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) with new medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for periodontal disease has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital in Arlington, Texas on December 17, 2016 was denied because he did not meet the criteria for payment under 38 U.S.C. § 1725 and his enrollment in VA health care system within 24 months prior to the treatment.

The Veteran's atrial fibrillation is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that an updated VA examination is needed to determine if a higher rating is warranted.

For the increased rating period on appeal from January 6, 2012, an increased disability rating of 30 percent for right foot immersion residuals and left foot immersion residuals is granted.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disability and respiratory disability as due to exposure to herbicides, finding no relationship between the disabilities and in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a new VA examination and additional development of records.

The Veteran's step-son, F.B., was found to be permanently incapable of self-support prior to his 18th birthday due to intellectual disabilities and physical impairments. The Board granted recognition as a helpless child.

The Veteran's condition has worsened since his last VA examination in 2014, and he has had hospitalizations related to it. The Board is remanding the case for updated treatment records and a new VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's eye disorder, specifically his diagnosed blepharitis.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the muscle group identified for the Veteran's costochondritis and because of the need for additional examination to determine the severity of her service-connected condition.

The Veteran's lung condition is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his military service, including exposure to burn pits. The appeal will be decided based on the merits of the claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for peripheral artery disease prior to April 6, 2015 or from April 6, 2015 forward. Service connection for seminoma of the right testicle was also denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claim as his discharge from service was due to willful and persistent misconduct, not insanity. The character of his discharge bars him from receiving VA benefits.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a dispute over whether the overpayment was properly created. The Veteran must provide his Financial Status Report, and then the Committee on Waivers and Compromises will decide if the waiver of recovery can be granted.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for cerebrovascular accident resulting in a right homonymous hemianopsia was denied. The Veteran also appealed for special monthly compensation, but the Board found that he is not entitled to this benefit as his disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC-O or SMC-T.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to unclear submission of an updated EVR (VA Form 21-0518). The appellant's net worth was previously deemed excessive for survivor’s pension benefits, but her financial situation may have changed. Clarification is needed on whether she submitted a new EVR.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting diverticulitis was aggravated during his service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's metastatic adenocarcinoma is related to his exposure to herbicides during service, specifically Agent Orange. The SMC claim is also inextricably intertwined with the service connection claim.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for skin cancer due to Agent Orange exposure. The issue of service connection for lymphedema, as secondary to skin cancer, and the PTSD rating appeal are remanded.