Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for metatarsalgia of the bilateral feet and a vocal cord disorder due to the need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination of the Veteran's syringomyelia, including its impact on his upper back, shoulders, arms, hands, neck, headaches, urinary frequency, and mental health.

The Veteran's tongue cancer is found to be related to his exposure to herbicide agents in service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board denied service connection for right and left elbow disabilities as there was no evidence of chronicity or continuity of symptomatology in the service treatment records, and the Veteran did not seek medical care following discharge.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date for the establishment of aid and attendance benefits was denied as there is no legal basis to allow for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a left arm and shoulder disability, claimed as a left arm swelling, diagnosed to include degenerative joint disease, rotator cuff tear, and tendinopathy, is granted.,The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a respiratory disorder, including emphysema, COPD, fibrosis, bronchitis, lung 'blisters,' and status post spontaneous pneumothorax, to include as a result of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

The Board has determined that the debt of $8,513.23 for the period of July 2011 through January 2016 is not valid due to VA administrative error in failing to remove D.L., the Veteran's former spouse, from his benefits after their divorce.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Hodgkin's disease, finding that there was no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents and insufficient evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his bilateral fungal infection of the feet is remanded due to deficiencies in the January 2018 VA examiner's opinion. The case must be returned for an addendum opinion addressing additional functional impairment during flare-ups and whether the prescribed medications contain corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs.

The Board has remanded the case for further appellate consideration due to a lack of informed consent regarding potential complications from the esophageal cancer surgery performed by VA in January 2011.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's right-side testicular disability, which is claimed as secondary to a service-connected appendectomy. The Veteran needs another VA examination to determine if his current condition is related to his in-service injury.

The Board has decided that more information is needed about the circumstances surrounding the Veteran's death, and thus remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's claims for separate ratings for neurological disabilities of the upper and lower extremities secondary to service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent prior to March 4, 2015 and 40 percent thereafter for lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint and disc disease has been dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU has been granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his residuals of hepatocellular carcinoma is being remanded due to the need for further medical evaluation and clarification regarding service connection.

The Veteran's back brace is not considered to cause wear and tear on his clothing, thus he does not qualify for a clothing allowance in the 2017 calendar year.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, including those presumed due to herbicide exposure. The cause of death was pericardial tamponade and rupture of aortic dissection, neither of which is linked to the Veteran's military service or any service-connected condition.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma, claimed as a result of exposure to herbicide agents, should be remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his in-service exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right inguinal hernias, finding that the preexisting conditions were aggravated by military service. Service connection was denied for an umbilical hernia due to lack of evidence of current disability.

The Board denied service connection for AL amyloidosis and anemia, finding that the evidence did not support a current disability diagnosis or establish a link to service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for chronic conjunctivitis and left little finger flexion deformity were denied. The Board found that the current ratings of 10% for chronic conjunctivitis and 0% for left little finger flexion deformity are appropriate based on the evidence provided.