Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and requests for SSA and Medicaid records.

The Board has not provided a statement of the case (SOC) for the Veteran's claim regarding payment or reimbursement of private medical expenses incurred on April 22, 2015. The matter is being remanded to issue an SOC.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to obtain a medical opinion from a podiatrist as per the February 2019 Board remand. The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for an additional disability resulting from VA treatment of his left foot callus.

The Veteran's service was not during a period of war, and therefore he does not meet the basic eligibility requirements for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant ongoing medical records.

The Board denied the claim of recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse due to a lack of evidence showing a valid marriage and continuous cohabitation.

The Board has granted service connection for myelodysplastic syndrome (MSD) due to the evidence being at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's MSD was related to his military service.

The Veteran died at a hospice facility after being discharged from VA hospitals. The criteria for nonservice-connected burial benefits have not been met as the death was not due to service-connected causes and he did not meet any of the specified conditions for VA burial benefits.

The Veteran's son, C.H., is being considered for recognition as his 'helpless child' to receive additional dependency compensation. The case will be remanded due to incomplete records and the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits information.

The Veteran's appeal to receive a clothing allowance for the 2012 calendar year has been dismissed because he withdrew his appeal prior to any decision being made.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal before a decision was made.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's service-connected residuals of a stab wound, left chest and his service-connected scars. The Veteran will be afforded a VA examination to assess the severity of these conditions.

The Board found the Veteran's net worth to be excessive and a bar to nonservice-connected pension benefits, as his assets were more than ample to meet his needs without support from VA.

The Veteran's increased disability ratings for left and right lower extremity weakness due to poliomyelitis residuals are denied as the evidence does not show that their conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for peroneal tendinitis of the right foot was previously remanded by the Board in June 2012. The case was again remanded by the Board in February 2018 due to inadequate examination, and it is now being remanded again due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient adjudications of hardship and reasonable family maintenance, requiring further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for frequent fevers, night chills, and sweats; swollen lymph nodes; and recurrent tonsillitis and pharyngitis due to his service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in medical records regarding lifting and standing restrictions for the Veteran's hernia. The Veteran will need a VA examination to resolve these inconsistencies.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right hand fracture was denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating based on either ankylosis or limitation of motion.

The Veteran died from acute anemia due to end stage renal disease and metastatic liver cancer. The appellant filed a claim for nonservice-connected burial benefits, but the appeal was denied as the Veteran did not meet the criteria for such benefits.