Other conditions decisions — 2019

The Veteran's income is not in excess of the maximum annual pension rate (MAPR), and thus a higher rate of nonservice-connected pension is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current respiratory disorder is related to his service. The VA examiner will need to review all relevant medical records and provide an opinion on this issue.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred during a non-VA hospitalization from April 7, 2014, to April 8, 2014 were denied as the costs paid by the Veteran constituted copayments, deductibles, coinsurance, or similar payment required by his insurer.

The Veteran's atrial fibrillation and premature ventricular contractions are granted as secondary to their service-connected conditions, cardiomegaly with hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her service-connected left shoulder disability is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and records.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service personnel records, specifically a certification of military service with an official raised seal from the NPRC. The claim will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's service did not qualify for VA nonservice-connected death pension benefits as he did not have qualifying wartime service. The appeal is denied.

The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's surviving spouse was not eligible for death pension benefits due to excessive net worth, and the appellant does not meet the criteria for accrued benefits as a child or for reimbursement of expenses.

The Board has granted service connection for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and found that the Veteran's MDS caused his death. The appeal is remanded to obtain a post-mortem opinion regarding the relationship between MDS and AML, as well as its impact on the cause of death.

The Board denied requests for earlier effective dates for removing the Veteran's spouse and children from his compensation benefits due to failure to provide necessary information about their status.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a foreign object in her left breast, which was allegedly left there after a biopsy performed at Yale New Haven Hospital due to VA referral. The Board finds that remand is necessary to determine if the wire is an additional disability caused by the biopsy and whether it is an unforeseeable event.

The appeal was dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's death was caused by a myocardial infarction, which occurred after he received substandard care from VA. The appellant argued that the VA should have notified him of critical findings on his CT thoracic scan showing dense calcification in his coronary arteries.

The Veteran's death did not result in any accrued benefits as the automobile grant was a one-time payment and not a periodic monetary benefit. The appellant's claim for accrued benefits is denied.

The case is being remanded because the Veteran failed to report for a VA examination and additional service treatment records are needed. The Veteran's post-concussion syndrome must be evaluated again.

The Veteran's dependent child was awarded and began receiving DEA benefits, which made the Veteran ineligible for concurrent dependency education benefits.

The Veteran's death was not service connected, and the appellant did not meet the criteria for nonservice-connected burial benefits. The claim is denied.

The Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits is denied due to lack of qualifying wartime service. The Board finds that a new examination and medical opinion are necessary regarding the etiology of the Veteran's arthritis.

The appellant is not eligible for VA death pension benefits as a surviving spouse because she was divorced from the Veteran at the time of his death and did not meet the requirements to be considered his surviving spouse.