Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for right elbow traumatic arthritis and a rating in excess of 10 percent for right elbow status post posterior dislocation have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral trigger thumb is related to his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) educational benefits, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's death was not determined to be related to a service-connected disability, and therefore the claim for DIC under U.S.C. 1318 is denied. The claim of accrued benefits is dismissed as the Veteran did not have an outstanding claim at the time of his death.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran, finding that she did not meet the requirements due to her lack of continuous residence with the Veteran and her failure to establish a valid marriage.

The Veteran's arthritis of the back is granted as service connected, with no rating assigned and effective date not specified.

The Veteran's initial rating for bilateral eye disability has been increased to 40 percent, effective June 19, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a testicle disability, diagnosed as bilateral hydrocele and spermatoceles, is granted. The Board found that the evidence established a current disability, an in-service injury, and a causal relationship between the two.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further evaluation due to the Veteran's assertion of increased severity and his request for additional medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sigmoid diverticulitis and arthritis of the back due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disability, claimed as interstitial lung disease, to include as secondary to asbestos exposure. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current lung disability was related to his active duty service or any incident of service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for colitis/Crohn’s disease was previously denied in September 2008. The Board has now reopened the claim due to new and material evidence submitted since then.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, both alleged to be related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The case is being returned for additional development including obtaining missing service treatment records and a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding whether the left hand nerve damage is directly related to service or secondary to a service-connected cervical spine disability. A new opinion is needed to address all aspects of the Veteran's claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's pension benefits were terminated due to excessive income, and this decision was proper.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 20 percent for impairment of the seventh cranial nerve due to a lack of VA examination and development.

The Board has ordered a new examination to determine if the Veteran's restrictive lung disease is related to service, as it was not clear from the previous VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cause of death and the need for additional records.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his gunshot wound to the neck is remanded due to outstanding medical records. The case also includes an issue of service connection for arthritis of the neck, which requires additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left-hand disability as secondary to his service-connected hypertension and residuals of injury to right hand, finding that there was no medical evidence linking the left-hand disability to these conditions.