Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen her service connection for Factor V Leiden and chronic coagulopathy, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's death, and no service connection was granted or denied.

The Board has vacated the remand decision regarding the Veteran's claim for a bilateral hand disability, finding it was not properly addressed due to procedural issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteitis deformans (Paget's Disease) is remanded due to insufficient examination and treatment records. The Board requests additional private medical records and a new VA examination.

The Board is remanding the case to verify whether documents submitted by the appellant at a March 2018 hearing were in VA custody prior to her submissions. The effective date for service connection for the cause of death will depend on whether a request to reopen was made before June 30, 2008.

The Veteran's nerve impairment with RSD right upper extremity and mallet deformity of the right hand middle finger are both remanded for further evaluation due to evidence of worsening since her last examination.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for DIC benefits as his marriage to his son is a bar to recognition as a helpless child of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service did not meet the minimum active-duty requirement for eligibility to be buried in a VA national cemetery, as he was discharged due to misconduct and did not serve at least 24 months of continuous active duty. The appeal is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lower extremity neurogenic disabilities, including CRPS, due to insufficient evidence and need for a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma, increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral hearing loss due to lack of a recent VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypopharynx cancer and loss of sense of smell due to potential exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. A VA medical opinion is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for his disability rating and TDIU have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claims before the Board.

The Board has granted annual clothing allowances for the Veteran's right and left knee braces due to their tendency to wear out or tear his clothing, which is a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's right foot condition has been rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in diagnoses and need for further examination. The Veteran's psychiatric conditions, including schizoaffective disorder and depressive type, are under review.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinions regarding whether the Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder is related to service, including presumed exposure to herbicide agents, or secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidentiary development, including a new VA examination and obtaining medical records from the Veteran's chiropractor.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the case is not about service connection.

The claim for nonservice-connected burial benefits is denied because the Veteran served as a Philippine Scout under Public Law 190, and thus does not qualify for burial benefits.

The Veteran's appeal for restoration of a 10 percent disability rating for the service-connected left tibia stress fracture is granted. The appeal for a 10 percent rating based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities under 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 is denied as a matter of law. The appeals for service connection for right convex scoliosis, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, right leg disorder, left leg disorder, bilateral pes planus disorder, and stress fracture in the right tibia are dismissed.