Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for varicose veins of the bilateral legs is being remanded due to a lack of an opinion linking his condition to his active service. The VA is instructed to obtain any outstanding records and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine if his varicose veins are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand instructions and confusion surrounding the calculation of the total overpayment for a monthly housing allowance.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical and lumbar conditions, effective April 28, 2015. The Veteran's original claim was denied in September 2008 due to lack of evidence of a back disability. Service connection was reopened in September 2012 but denied again in October 2013. The Veteran filed a new application for service connection on April 28, 2015, and the Board granted it.

The Veteran's motion to revise or reverse the December 1992 rating decision regarding service connection for arrhythmia was denied. The motion to revise or reverse on the basis of CUE in the December 1992 rating decision denying service connection for a thoracic spine condition is remanded.,Service connection for history of arrhythmia, secondary to sustained hypertension, remains unresolved.

The Veteran's claim for payment of private medical expenses incurred on May 4, 2016, is denied as the treatment was not related to a service-connected disability and there were no emergency conditions that would have made immediate care necessary.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection of right 5th toe distal phalanx amputation and has determined that he is entitled to this benefit based on direct evidence showing a relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for Hodgkin's disease, specifically related to in-service exposure to chemicals. A VA examiner is needed to provide an opinion on the etiology of the condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to insufficient attempts by the RO to obtain authorization from the Veteran for medical records related to his participation in a drug study.

The Board has granted service connection for left leg restless leg syndrome, right leg restless leg syndrome, and left thumb arthritis. The preponderance of the evidence supports these claims.

The Veteran died in 1969 and is already memorialized by a privately-marked grave. As he died before November 1, 1990, he does not meet the eligibility criteria for a government-furnished headstone or marker.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected status post left distal radius fracture, and for obtaining updated VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear medical entries and a need for clarification on the nature of the Veteran's current left hip disability, including whether it had its onset in service.

The Veteran's appeal for additional Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) education benefits after November 4, 2016 was denied as he had already exhausted his entitlement to VA educational assistance benefits under Chapter 33.

The Veteran's claim for a rating higher than the current 10 percent for left foot hallux valgus post-bunionectomy with a scar since March 30, 2017, is denied as her symptoms are already covered by the applicable diagnostic codes in the Rating Schedule.

The Board denied service connection for an emotional disorder, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing condition did not increase in severity during his short term of service and there is no current disability to support a claim.

The Veteran's left shoulder condition, specifically his left clavicle fracture, needs further evaluation due to unclear findings in the previous VA examination report. The case is being remanded for a new medical examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's lower back spinal stenosis and his service-connected left ankle condition.

The Veteran's chronic adjustment disorder is rated at 50% prior to January 11, 2018 and at 70% from January 11, 2018. The appeal for a higher rating is granted starting from January 11, 2018.

The Board found that the recoupment of special separation benefits (SSB) by withholding Department of Veterans Affairs' disability compensation was proper and denied the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for neck cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, finding no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence. The appeal was remanded due to the Veteran's claims regarding exposure to herbicide agents and Camp Lejeune contaminants.