Other conditions decisions — 2019

The appellant is not recognized as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA death benefits and service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to their divorce at the time of the Veteran's death.

The Board has decided the case is remanded due to uncertainty about the Veteran's service aboard a ship in Vietnam, and because an examination is needed to determine if his upper neck lymph node cancer residuals are related to radiation treatment or herbicide agent exposure.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for DIC benefits based on the appellant's failure to file a formal claim within one year of receiving a VA application form in 2005, and her subsequent submission of a formal claim in September 2014.

The Board denied service connection for duodenal ulcers, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing ulcer disability was not aggravated by his active service.

The Veteran's son, J.R., attended college from August 2010 to August 2015. However, the claim for additional dependency benefits based on school attendance was not filed within one year of J.R.'s 18th birthday or the date he commenced his course of study. Therefore, the Veteran's application is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for staged increased ratings for his umbilical hernia and initial rating for his right inguinal hernia repair, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for exostosis of the right foot is remanded due to lack of recent VA examination and outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee impairment is rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his flexion and extension are within normal limits.

The appellant withdrew their appeal for a VA clothing allowance due to the use of a back brace, and thus the case has been dismissed.

The Veteran died in 1988 and is buried in a private cemetery. The claim for a government-furnished headstone or marker was denied because the Veteran did not meet the eligibility criteria set by law.

The Veteran died in 1961 and is buried in a private cemetery. Since he did not die on or after November 1, 1990, he is not eligible for a government-furnished headstone or marker.

The Board has denied service connection for a hernia disability and remanded the claim for cataracts with vision loss due to lack of evidence regarding the etiology of the eye condition.

The Veteran's skin disabilities of the bilateral hands and left foot are granted, but his TBI and headaches claims are denied.

The Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence to determine the appropriate rating for the Veteran's left shoulder and arm disability throughout the entire appeal period, and therefore, the case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's trachea cancer is related to his in-service exposure to burn pits while in combat in Iraq, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for colorectal cancer, finding that there was no evidence linking his condition to his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board found that the overpayment of VA pension benefits was properly created due to the appellant's knowledge or should have known about the erroneous payments, and thus denied the appeal.

The Veteran's surviving spouse is not entitled to nonservice-connected pension benefits due to her income exceeding the maximum annual pension rate.

The Veteran's voiding dysfunction was incurred and diagnosed during his active duty service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for entitlement to Total Disability Evaluation Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU). The Board dismissed the appeal.