Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board denied the appellant's claims for VA compensation and pension benefits as she did not have a period of active military, naval, or air service.

The Board has denied service connection for gouty arthritis and left fifth-finger disorder, but has remanded the issue of service connection for left knee osteoarthritis. The claims for gouty arthritis and left fifth-finger disorder were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's death was caused by metastatic colon cancer, and the claim is reopened as new and material evidence has been received suggesting a relationship between the cause of death and service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's death was not caused by in-service herbicide agent exposure, and thus denied service connection for the cause of his death. The case is being remanded to gather more information about the Veteran’s exposure.

The Veteran's pulmonary disease is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, a VA examination to determine the etiology of his condition, and determining whether he was exposed to asbestos in service.

The Veteran's vasodepressor syncope has been rated at 10 percent, and the Board is remanding the case for a hearing before a Decision Review Officer to address his request for an increased rating.

The Board denied the appellant's claim to be recognized as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA death benefits purposes due to her divorce from the Veteran at the time of his death.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for accrued benefits as new and material evidence was not submitted, and the appeal is based on a final denial of the claim.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking his conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for a perforated right eardrum, status post tympanoplasty is denied as the maximum schedular rating has already been assigned.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's skin conditions are related to his service in Vietnam. The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicides during his service, but there is no direct evidence linking his current skin conditions to this exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence on whether the Veteran's chronic back pain is related to his active duty service or if it was caused by his service-connected pes planus.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded as the AOJ has not issued a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) after obtaining new VA examination and private medical opinions. Additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records, is required.

The appeal has been dismissed because the Veteran and his representative requested to withdraw their appeal regarding dependency benefits.

The appeal was dismissed due to the appellant's death, and no service connection issues were decided.

The Veteran died in February 2016 while receiving home hospice care at VA's expense. The Board granted the claim for nonservice-connected burial benefits.

The Veteran requested to withdraw all issues on appeal, including the clothing allowance claim for 2018 based on the use of a right knee brace. As a result, the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL) as the evidence did not support a finding that CLL began during service or was related to service, including exposure to jet fuel.

The Veteran's effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits are set at August 1, 2005. The Veteran is not entitled to SMC due to need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status.

The appeal for a higher disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed due to the appellant's death.