Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for spinal stenosis due to additional development being necessary, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion.

The claim for burial benefits is denied as the Veteran's surviving spouse has already received the benefit and she had the highest priority.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a stroke, but remanded to obtain an addendum opinion regarding whether her stroke is proximately due to or aggravated by her service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's bladder disability (cystitis cystica) was denied an increased rating and a temporary 100% evaluation for convalescence following a May 2015 procedure. The highest schedular rating of 60 percent has been granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and to obtain additional records, including from VistA Imaging database. The Veteran must also be provided with a VA examination to assess his low back disorders.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal and thus has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of tonsil cancer, status post tonsillectomy with difficulty swallowing and residual scar in the left tonsillar fossa is denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s symptoms most nearly approximated a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board denied a higher rating for left varicocele, finding that the condition did not meet the criteria for a compensable (10%) disability rating due to lack of long-term drug therapy, hospitalizations, or intensive management.

The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the validity of an overpayment of Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) education benefits in the amount of $494.00.

The Veteran's overpayment debt of $2,997.81 for VA compensation benefits was denied as the appeal is not about service connection but rather a retroactive adjustment due to a change in dependency status.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for drug abuse is denied because the law prohibits compensation for such a disability, and he does not have any other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has not found sufficient evidence to grant any of the individual conditions. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted and others denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and his exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection for rectal cancer, including potential aggravation by service-connected disabilities and exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's non-Hodgkin lymphoma is not service connected as it did not begin during his active duty or within one year of discharge. The exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune occurred after he left the military, and therefore does not qualify for service connection.

The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has ordered the AOJ to request private medical records from the Veteran for his left calf superficial peroneal nerve injury, as he had previously stated that he could obtain such information. The AOJ did not follow this directive and a remand is required.

The Veteran's cause of death was ruled as carcinoma of the lung, but service connection for this condition is denied. The case is remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding whether VA care contributed to the Veteran's lung cancer.