Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the claims for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and documents related to ophthalmological procedures.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records. The issues of service connection for various upper extremity, wrist, knee, ankle, cervical spine, shoulder, and foot disorders are pending.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his right eye cornea injury residuals is remanded due to the need for a more current VA examination and consideration of recent treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for interstitial cystitis is denied as the evidence does not show that her condition had increased during the one-year period prior to filing the claim, and she has already been assigned an effective date of March 1, 2011.

The Veteran's cause of death, metastatic cancer with unknown primary and peritoneal metastases, is denied as not related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for an unspecified trauma- and stressor-related disorder (UTSRD) as the Veteran served in combat during his military service.

The Board denied the Appellant's claim for death pension benefits because her annual income, even after deducting medical expenses, exceeded the maximum annual pension rate with regular aid and attendance payable to a surviving spouse with no dependents.

The Board denied the appellant's request to extend her delimiting date for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits beyond May 4, 2014. The decision states that there is no legal basis for granting an extension due to various reasons provided by the appellant.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a back condition (claimed as sacroiliac sprain) has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected condition, and the appellant did not meet the requirements for DIC benefits or survivorship benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Veteran's lichen planus is being remanded for additional examination to determine the current severity and manifestations of his service-connected condition.

The overpayment of VA compensation benefits was properly created due to a retroactive reduction in the compensation rate, and recovery is denied as it would be against equity and good conscience.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a skin condition due to depleted uranium/arsenic exposure is dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board found that the reduction in VA disability compensation for recouping military drill pay was proper and denied the appeal.

The Board has determined that a VA medical opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's fatal myelodysplastic syndrome was etiologically related to in-service exposure to Agent Orange. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed disability of the left foot, as the July 2013 examination is inadequate for rating purposes.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his ulnar nerve impairment of the right little finger was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 40 percent, which is the highest rating allowed under Diagnostic Code 8516.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for pulmonary fibrosis, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's spouse is seeking recognition as the surviving spouse for purposes of receiving DIC benefits. The AOJ needs to obtain SSA records and determine if they are relevant to her claim.

The appellant has requested that her case be reconsidered by the RO with new medical evidence. The Board will remand the claim for this purpose.