Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Veteran's adjustment disorder has been rated at 30 percent since July 2016. The Board found that his symptoms, while causing some occupational and social impairment, did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's basic eligibility for VA loan guaranty benefits is granted as his 18 months of active duty service meets the minimum requirement.

The Board is remanding the case due to incomplete records and a need for additional information regarding the Veteran's income.

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of multiple myeloma, finding that no basis existed to award such a date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection was pending at the time of his death, but the appellant did not file a timely claim for accrued benefits within one year of the Veteran’s death. The appellant's application for VA burial benefits cannot serve as a timely claim for accrued benefits.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for dyspepsia and anemia in January 2018.

The Veteran's service connection claim for multiple myeloma is granted due to exposure to herbicide agents aboard the U.S.S. Midway in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the appellant is entitled to recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse for purposes of establishing entitlement to VA death benefits due to a child born before their marriage in March 2010.

The Board has determined that the effective date for DIC benefits is April 15, 1990, as this is when the Appellant filed a claim with Social Security Administration (SSA) for surviving spouse benefits.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of documentation regarding an upgrade in the character of the appellant's discharge from 'other than honorable' to 'general'. The AOJ is instructed to request all pertinent records and make a formal finding if they are unavailable.

The Veteran's service was not considered wartime service, thus denying the claim for nonservice-connected survivors pension benefits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was due to his service-connected ischemic heart disease, which is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service in Thailand. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran's application for Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) education benefits was denied as he did not have any other periods of active service to qualify him for Chapter 33 benefits.

The appellant is not a valid substitute for her mother's pending claim for accrued benefits because she did not meet the eligibility criteria and did not pay for the expenses of her mother's last sickness or burial.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hip disorder, including as secondary to his service-connected Freiberg’s disease of the left foot. The evidence did not support a finding of a current bilateral hip disorder.

The Veteran's case was denied because he did not provide the required job openings and unofficial college transcript, leading to unsatisfactory cooperation with the VR&E program. Despite repeated requests from VA, the Veteran failed to complete these tasks necessary for continued participation in the program.

The Board denied reopening a previously denied service connection claim for residuals of cold injury to the feet due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for rectal cancer, including as due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, was denied.,The cause of death claim for the Veteran's metastatic rectal cancer was also denied.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and there is insufficient evidence to support the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 or entitlement to increased DIC due to need for aid and attendance.