Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to a need to determine if the Veteran's hip and leg pain alone causes such functional impairment that it impacts earning capacity, and whether any hip or leg disorder is related to his active duty service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between the Veteran's psychiatric disorder and service, or any other condition related to service. The Board concluded that the Veteran did not have a heart disability due to service that contributed to his death from cardiac arrest.

The Veteran's income exceeded the maximum annual pension rate, thus denying his claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Veteran's overpayment of VA benefits is waived due to fault on both his and the VA's part, with some financial hardship noted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cognitive disorder is denied as there is no current disability and the evidence does not support a finding of a separate and distinct cognitive disorder from her service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's service is not considered a period of war, thus denying the claim for VA death pension benefits. The claims for accrued benefits and burial benefits are also remanded as no SOC has been issued.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome and chronic back pain was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board found that there is at least equipoise evidence suggesting a relationship between the Veteran's current disability and his military service, thus granting the claim.

The appellant's claim for service-connected burial benefits greater than $2,000.00 was denied as the Veteran was not buried in a national or State veterans cemetery and thus no additional burial allowance could be awarded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for spinal stenosis, claimed as secondary to his service-connected right lower extremity disabilities, was granted. His ulnar nerve paralysis in the left upper extremity and anterior tibial nerve paralysis of the right lower extremity were both granted increased ratings. The Veteran's fragment wound residuals on the right leg with healed comminuted fracture are denied an increase beyond 30 percent.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for accrued benefits and reimbursement of expenses related to his mother's last sickness, finding that he did not qualify as a child or helpless child for VA purposes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a liver disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board finds that a remand is necessary in order for the Agency of Original Jurisdiction to clarify whether the Veteran's claim of entitlement to nonservice-connected pension has been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ear disability and temporary total evaluations due to hospitalization or post-surgical convalescence, finding no current disability and insufficient evidence of hospitalizations.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disability, characterized by callosities and corn pain with onychodystrophy of the first and second toenails, has been granted a separate 20 percent rating since May 14, 2010. The condition is rated under Diagnostic Code 5284 for moderate foot injuries.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for blepharitis with pinguecula and remanded his claims for service connection for right and left leg shin splints due to lack of a currently diagnosed disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for dementia as secondary to his service-connected schizoaffective disorder bipolar type, finding that there is no current diagnosis of dementia in the record.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the inextricability of his dependent spouse recognition claim with other pending service connection claims.

The Board has granted a rating of 30 percent for onychomycosis from March 29, 2010 through March 31, 2011, and from March 13, 2014 through March 31, 2015. The Veteran's service-connected condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating at any other time.

The Board denied additional dependency benefits for the Veteran's son, U., based on school attendance from June 11, 2013 to August 25, 2013 and from November 16, 2015 to August 2016 due to lack of evidence showing that U. attended school during these periods.

The Veteran is seeking payment or reimbursement for the cost of medical services at UPMC from May 17, 2015, to August 3, 2015. The VAMC denied his claim because a VA facility was feasibly available in his area. The Board has decided that further development is needed before the case can be decided on the merits.