Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of discussion on whether the Veteran's schizoaffective disorder qualifies for service connection under a theory of continuity of symptomatology. The case will be reviewed to determine if there is evidence of a psychosis shown in service that had continuous symptoms until the instant claim.

The appellant is denied recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA death benefits due to remarriage after age 57 and filing a claim more than 30 years after the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's VR&E benefits were improperly discontinued, and the Board is remanding the case to provide him with a copy of the decision and any related documents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for loss of bottom teeth and vision spot behind left eye due to lack of VA examination. The hearing loss claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her claim of service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder is granted. The claim for service connection itself is denied.

The Board denied the overpayment of VA compensation benefits due to the Veteran's incarceration for a felony conviction, finding that the creation of the overpayment was proper and not solely administrative error.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further action on whether the withholding of VA compensation benefits due to concurrent receipt of military drill pay in fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010 was proper. The Veteran's claims have not been finally adjudicated yet.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA examination and updated treatment records, as well as the inextricably intertwined nature of the reduction claim with the increased rating claims.

The Veteran's use of Hydrophor ointment for his service-connected skin disability caused irreparable damage to his clothing in 2015, and the Board has granted a clothing allowance based on this.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left hand disorders, as they are related to diabetes. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again with additional medical examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for throat cancer, finding that new and material evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's claim for a refund of contributions made towards Chapter 30 education benefits is denied as he entered service before July 1, 1985 and was eligible for Chapter 32 education assistance.

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

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

The Veteran's dysthymic disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there are no symptoms of total occupational and social impairment.

The veteran's spouse did not qualify for non-service-connected death pension benefits due to the type of service they had. The claim for accrued benefits was also denied as there were no pending claims at the time of the spouse's death.

The Veteran's malignant thymoma is being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for a medical opinion regarding its etiology, including potential herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's cause of death, metastatic esophageal cancer, is related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death.

The Veteran's reported unreimbursed medical expenses of $420.00 for the calendar year 2015 do not exceed five percent of the Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) and hence, his appeal is denied.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a ventral hernia due to VA care, finding no fault on the part of VA and considering the risk of developing a ventral hernia after heart surgery as reasonably foreseeable.