Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for further investigation into the Veteran's service connection claims.

The Board found that the overpayment of $7,950.78 was not validly created due to VA's failure to timely change the Veteran’s dependent status after he filed for divorce. The appeal is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of hernia repair and gall bladder removal (claimed as cholecystitis) due to lack of new and relevant evidence. The Veteran did not submit any new or relevant evidence that would allow for readjudication of her claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's atrial fibrillation is at least as likely as not related to his time in service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right hip arthritis, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions had their onset during active service and are related to service.

The Veteran's hiatal hernia is rated at 30 percent for the entire rating period from February 21, 2014 to October 3, 2018. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has reopened the appellant's previously denied claim for service connection for cause of the Veteran’s death, but finds that further development is needed before deciding the merits of the case.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and improper application of the aggravation standard in previous examinations.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The Board dismissed the appeal.

The appellant is not eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery due to lack of active duty service and no disability incurred during ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for schizoaffective disorder and determined that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service. The evidence shows a chronic condition during active duty, including anxiety and impulsivity issues.

The Veteran's GI disability is granted a 30 percent rating, but the claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for insomnia and an unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness, as both are related to Gulf War service. The Veteran is required to undergo additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot pain, insomnia, increased rating for PTSD, and TDIU based on PTSD due to procedural defects and need for additional evidence.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a fracture of the right sternoclavicular joint, but it is remanded due to insufficient evidence to grant the benefit.

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

The Board denied the claim of service connection for cause of death due to lack of evidence of exposure to herbicide agents or radiation during service, and thus, the Veteran's lung cancer is not considered a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's CBGD was related to service, specifically exposure to contaminated water at Camp LeJeune. As a result, the claim for service connection for CBGD is granted.

The Veteran's right foot condition is rated at 20 percent, and his left foot hallux valgus remains at a 10 percent rating. The decision grants the higher rating for the right foot but denies any increase in the rating for the left foot.

The Veteran's onychomycosis, bilateral feet condition may have worsened since his last VA examination and the examiner needs to determine if any other skin disability is present and whether it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected condition.