Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to a complex medical issue and needs an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's atherosclerosis is related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's UTIs are related to her diabetes mellitus and not directly related to service. The claim for hysterectomy is reopened, but the Board finds insufficient evidence to establish a direct link between the current condition and service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for Brown syndrome, left eye, is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and further examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to concerns about the Veteran's ability to accurately recount what happened during his surgeries, potential negligence or carelessness by the surgeons, and whether all lens fragments were removed from his eye.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an addendum medical opinion to assess the nature, severity, and etiology of the Veteran's respiratory disorder. The service connection for a left foot disorder is denied.

The Veteran's death benefits claim for the appellant as his surviving spouse was denied because they were divorced at the time of his death and did not meet the legal requirements to be considered a surviving spouse.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU due to a need for further medical examination regarding his squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, which is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives. The Veteran's right leg disorder is presumed to have been sound at entry into service, and there must be clear and unmistakable evidence that it was not aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any back disability (upper and lower). The examiner will review the Veteran's service treatment records, including complaints of upper and low back pain throughout his service.

The Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits was denied because he did not serve in active military, naval, or air service during a period of war.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records from the Veteran's National Guard service and a need for an updated medical examination.

The Board denied the claim for recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran due to a lack of legal marriage and continuous cohabitation prior to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for heat stroke as there is no current diagnosis of this condition.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for carcinoma of the bladder is granted. The case is remanded due to new evidence suggesting a possible link between the condition and in-service exposure to toxic chemicals, but not herbicide agents. Bilateral hearing loss is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's request for a waiver of overpayment and whether the debt created by removing his former spouse, D., was validly created. The issues are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has granted the appellant's petition to reopen her claim for recognition as permanently incapable of self-support, but has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinion regarding her condition prior to age 18.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service treatment records and a VA Form 21-534. The appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation is being returned to the RO for additional development.

The Veteran's death did not qualify for VA burial transportation reimbursement as he was buried in a national cemetery and did not meet the eligibility criteria.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected arthritis of the tarsometatarsal joint is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the current severity and extent of his condition.

The Board denied the termination of survivor pension benefits and restoration of benefits due to excessive income, finding that the Appellant's income exceeded the maximum annual pension limit for a surviving spouse with no dependents.