Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the cases of bladder incontinence, partial hysterectomy, and hair loss for further development.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the appellant requested to withdraw their appeal and hearing request prior to a decision being made.

The appeal for a waiver of indebtedness is dismissed as all remaining debt has been waived in previous decisions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for cancer of the tongue, throat and mouth was dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of procedures for determining in-service radiation exposure, which may be relevant to service connection for basal cell carcinoma.

The Veteran's nephrolithiasis has required diet therapy for recurrent stone formation, and the Board granted an initial disability rating of 30 percent.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's left leg disability, finding that there was no measurable functional limitation and thus only pain is compensable.

The Board denied service connection for a neurological disability of the bilateral lower extremities, and remanded the case for further development. The Veteran's claim is currently under review.

The Veteran's acquired 'other specified trauma or stressor related disorder' psychiatric condition is found to be related to verified stressors in service and granted for service connection.

The Board denied the appellant's claim to be recognized as a surviving spouse for purposes of establishing DIC benefits due to her marriage not meeting the one-year requirement prior to the Veteran's death. The evidence did not establish that she intended to enter into a common-law marriage with the Veteran and was unaware that such marriages were not valid in Massachusetts.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his nonunion of the left ulnar styloid was denied. The Board found that there was no evidence showing nonunion in upper half of the ulna with loss of bone substance, which is required for a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Veteran's interstitial fibrosis was rated at 10 percent, and the Board found that the evidence did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer, including as due to asbestos exposure during his Navy service, is denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of a causal relationship between the Veteran's asbestos exposure and his current diagnosis of colon cancer.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents and the relationship between his adenocarcinoma and service. The VA needs to obtain further information from the National Personnel Records Center and Joint Services Records Research Center, as well as clinical records for treatment of the Veteran's adenocarcinoma.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's cardiomyopathy developed during service or is related to his service-connected diabetes. The VA needs to obtain additional medical records and provide a new opinion on these issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a disability of the penis, including redundant prepuce with phimosis and penile lesions is being remanded due to the need for additional development, specifically an examination to determine if any current penis disability is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of balance, which is secondary to hearing loss and tinnitus, has been remanded due to the need to determine if he was afforded a VA examination in July 2019.

The Board denied the appellant's claim to establish status as a surviving spouse for VA benefits due to lack of legal marriage and failure to provide evidence of common law marriage.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant requested to withdraw it, citing his desire to add his spouse's name to his VA disability compensation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear condition, specifically eustachian tube dysfunction, had its onset during service and is therefore granted service connection.