Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left little finger disorder is granted, and the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for duodenal and antral ulcer disease with gastritis, pancreatitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and irritable bowel syndrome is remanded.

The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for the Veteran's aortic root aneurysm with aortic regurgitation, finding that it precludes exertion.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating of 50 percent, but no higher, for poliomyelitis is granted. The effective date for the award of service connection for poliomyelitis is set at March 20, 2013.

The Board has decided that the overpayment of $2,472.00 for VRAP benefits was improperly created and is remanded to determine if a waiver should be granted.

The Board has granted payment or reimbursement for medical expenses incurred at Allegheny General Hospital from December 9, 2016 through December 13, 2016 due to the Veteran's condition remaining emergent until his discharge on December 13, 2016.

The Veteran's right foot talipes cavus is rated at 10 percent, and his left foot talipes cavus is rated at 20 percent. The decision also grants a separate rating of 20 percent for the left foot talipes cavus.

The Veteran's cause of death was a metastatic neuroendocrine tumor, which is service-connected as it occurred during his military service. The claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is dismissed due to the grant of service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right eye disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or disease that caused her current conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with prior February 2017 remand directives, specifically regarding obtaining VA treatment records from November 1976 to January 1977. The appellant must be notified of any unavailability of these records.

The Veteran's service with the Merchant Marine after August 15, 1945 is not considered qualifying service for VA benefits. Therefore, he does not meet the criteria for veteran status and is denied basic eligibility for nonservice-connected disability pension benefits.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for throat cancer due to water contamination at Camp Lejeune has been dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's large B cell lymphoma is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during his service in Thailand, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has decided that the appellant's character of discharge is a bar to VA compensation benefits and has remanded for further examination to determine if he was insane at the times he was AWOL.

The Veteran's service connection claim for diffuse large B cell lymphoma is remanded due to potential in-service exposure to radiation and chemicals, including from Operation Golden Python and an explosion in Pakistan. The case will be further evaluated by VA.

The Veteran's death was not due to any service-connected disability, and the Board denied claims for service connection for adenocarcinoma of the duodenum, metastatic liver failure, and heart valve disease.

The Veteran's application for Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) education benefits was denied as he did not have any other periods of active service to qualify him for Chapter 33 benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hip replacements, finding that his current disabilities were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's nephrolithiasis has been rated at 30 percent since September 17, 2014. The Board found that the condition met the criteria for a 30 percent rating due to recurrent stone formation with complaints of pain and required diet therapy or invasive procedures more than two times per year.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for gout due to insufficient rationale in a previous VA examiner's opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding whether a claim for medical reimbursement was submitted within 90 days of the treatment. The Veteran and her provider need to provide additional documentation.