Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Appellant's claim of recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA benefit purposes because she was not legally married to the Veteran at the time of his death in 1998.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU due to his service-connected bladder disorder, finding that entitlement did not arise until February 2017.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left thumb disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding both skin disorder and hearing loss claims, leading to their dismissal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death from metastatic gastric carcinoma was related to his service, despite some conflicting medical opinions. The cause of death is considered due to a combination of factors including military exposure and other health conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's pulmonary fibrosis is related to his service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to proceed with the merits of the case.

The Board denied service connection for restless leg syndrome as there was no evidence showing it was incurred or aggravated by active service, and the Veteran's RLS symptoms did not appear until after his separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to loss of, or impairment to, sense of taste is remanded as there is a question regarding the appropriateness of VA treatment and whether it resulted in his condition.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § §§ 1151 for residuals of open-heart surgery was reopened due to new and material evidence, and the claim is now granted as he suffered an additional disability from a retained surgical item in his heart caused by VA negligence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a conflict in the decision regarding the creation of the debt and the concurrent receipt of drill pay and VA compensation benefits. The validity of the debt must be reviewed before considering the waiver request.

The Veteran's appeal for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and Northport Emergency Care Center has been denied due to the lack of emergency condition requiring immediate attention.

The appeal for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance is dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Board denied the appellant's eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery due to lack of active duty service and no disability incurred during ACDUTRA.

The Veteran's death was not due to service-connected disability, and he did not meet the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Board denied the claim for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits as a matter of law because the Appellant was divorced from the Veteran at the time of his death, making her ineligible for DIC.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's vitiligo is at least as likely as not related to his military service, specifically exposure to burn pits during deployment. As such, the claim for service connection for vitiligo is granted.

The Board denied payment or reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Salem Hospital and Salem Clinic due to lack of a medical emergency, non-feasibility of VA facilities, and failure to attempt transfer to VA.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's hernia, finding no evidence of current hernia or need for a supportive belt.

The Board has decided that the appellant's claim for an effective date prior to June 30, 2017, for the grant of dependency and indemnity compensation is remanded due to incomplete records and potential SSA application issues.