Other conditions decisions — 2020

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for a compensable rating for Lyme Disease and entitlement to a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU). As a result, the Board dismissed these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for gastritis, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his active duty service or any service-connected disabilities. The Board also found that the Veteran's gastritis was not secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no service connection issues were decided.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his lumbar spine disability and associated conditions is denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of entitlement to TDIU prior to June 7, 2016 or from August 1, 2020.

The Board's decision denying the Veteran's 'helpless child' status was affirmed by the Court, and thus the Board lacks jurisdiction to revise this decision on grounds of clear and unmistakable error.

The Veteran's stooped posture, secondary to Parkinson's disease, is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU related to his service-connected ulcerative colitis are being remanded due to inadequate examinations in previous VA evaluations.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his hepatocellular cancer is related to his exposure to Agent Orange during service. The decision also vacates the previous denial of accrued benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to active service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claim for an increased rating for hoarseness prior to March 19, 2018 due to inadequate examinations and a need for further development.

The Board denied an overpayment of educational assistance benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, finding that the creation of the debt was valid based on mitigating circumstances.

The Board denied service connection for gastric polyps as there was no evidence linking the condition to service, and the Veteran did not have symptoms of this condition during or after service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma, finding that there is no causal relationship between his current condition and his military service, including exposure to herbicide agent and sunlight.

The Veteran's service connection claim for multiple myeloma is granted because it is presumed to be related to his exposure to herbicide agents during his service at Udorn RTAFB.

The Board has remanded the claim for substitution and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for anoxic brain injury, on a substituted or accrued basis due to issues with associating the appellant's claim in VBMS.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's eye disability, but found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to September 6, 2019. The case is being remanded for further development regarding service connection for uterine fibroids and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and a need for new opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder, specifically whether it is related to service or secondary to her service-connected uterine fibroids.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his herniated nucleus pulposus, L5-S1, is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's claim for a second grant of financial assistance in the purchase of one automobile or other conveyance and necessary adaptive equipment is denied because there is no evidence that the vehicle purchased with his first grant was destroyed by a natural or other disaster.

The Veteran contests the withholding of VA disability compensation benefits due to receipt of military pay for drill days of active duty in FY 2018. The Board finds that this appeal must be remanded for additional development, including determining the specific time and dates of active duty served by the Veteran during FY 2018, and whether or not any adjustments made based on active duty service will result in any recoupment of benefits already paid to the Veteran.