Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the addition of his spouse to his VA disability compensation award is denied. The earliest possible effective date has already been assigned.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the case is no longer under jurisdiction.

The Veteran's myelodysplastic syndrome is granted as service connected due to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam service.

The Veteran's claim for travel expenses reimbursement in excess of $324.40 was denied as the maximum allowable per diem rates were applied and no additional reimbursement is available.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred during a non-VA hospitalization at Lee Memorial Hospital from November 11th-12th of 2015 are granted due to the presence of a permanent and total (P&T) service-connected disability for PTSD, which made the private treatment necessary.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between his brain tumor and service. The Board requests additional evidence and a new VA examination.

The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder caused severe impairment of social and industrial adaptability between July 31, 1990 and October 18, 2004. The Board granted an initial 70 percent rating for this period.

The Veteran's skin cancer is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his service, including presumed Agent Orange exposure.

The Board previously denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his eye condition, but the Court has ordered a remand due to an inadequate VA examination. The case is now being sent back for a new opinion on whether the preexisting eye condition was aggravated by military service.

The Appellant is not eligible to receive DIC benefits as the surviving spouse of the Veteran because she did not meet the legal criteria for eligibility, including being married within 15 years of the Veteran's discharge and having a child born of their union.

The Veteran's epididymitis is rated as noncompensable under Diagnostic Code 7525, but the Board has granted a 10 percent rating based on intermittent intensive management of antibiotic courses.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to unclear service dates and need for a VA examination.

The Board found that the overpayments were properly created due to the Veteran's imprisonment and unreported SSA income, and thus denied the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits was denied because he does not have an employment handicap, despite having service-connected disabilities. The Board found that the Veteran has overcome any impairment of employment due to his disabilities through stable employment in a suitable position.

The Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome is currently rated at 10 percent, but the VA examiner found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on its current range of motion and lack of incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses at Baylor Medical Center on July 3, 2013 were denied as there was no emergent condition and VA facilities were feasibly available.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's left hip disability and to determine if he is unemployable due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's son, A.M., was found to be a 'helpless child' due to his developmental disabilities and oxygen deprivation at birth prior to reaching the age of 18. The Board granted recognition of A.M. as the helpless child of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of corroboration for the Veteran's claimed impairment of sphincter control and because it did not adequately explain why such corroboration was necessary. The matter is now being sent back for further consideration.

The Veteran's death was not service connected, and the appellant did not meet the criteria for nonservice-connected burial benefits as her claim was filed within two years of the Veteran’s burial. The Board denied the claim due to lack of legal basis.