Other conditions decisions — 2020

The Veteran died of Chronic Lymphoid Leukemia, which was not service-connected. The Board found no evidence linking the death to service or any exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the appellant's mental state during service and his discharge character. The case will be reviewed after obtaining additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's thoracic spine disability, specifically whether it is a congenital defect or disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination and a need for additional medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's respiratory disability, which is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the VA examination is inadequate and additional evidence is needed to determine if the Veteran's cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is related to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional disability from a craniotomy performed by VA due to concerns about the adequacy of the medical opinion and the need for further development, including obtaining private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for a TDIU and DEA benefits prior to June 20, 2011 due to incomplete development. The Veteran's claim will be referred to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for an unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder with related substance abuse disorders, but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral foot condition.

The Board has denied service connection for residuals of colon cancer and Barrett’s esophagus, finding that these conditions were not incurred in or related to the Veteran's military service. The lung cancer and cause of death claims are being remanded due to potential secondary nexus.

The Board granted Level II benefits for spina bifida from July 18, 2002 to May 9, 2007 and Level III benefits from March 1, 2012 to January 14, 2019. The appellant is entitled to these levels of benefits based on her bowel impairment.

The Veteran's son, E.B., IV, is being recognized as the helpless child of the Veteran due to permanent incapacity for self-support prior to age 18. The Board has ordered a new medical opinion to determine if this condition existed before age 18 and whether there was improvement after that age.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for spondyloarthralgia of the right foot and left foot due to deficiencies in the September 2018 decision. The case will be readjudicated after additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded as the VA Form 21-8940, which is necessary to determine his employability status, has not been completed by him.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's respiratory disorder and ovarian cyst. The VA is required to obtain addendum opinions addressing these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for dizziness as secondary to his service-connected disabilities due to a lack of current disability and no evidence showing that the symptom results in functional impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's debt of $61,462 is not due to fraud, misrepresentation or bad faith. The issues of pension benefits and validity of the debt are being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's previous grant of financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment has been used. The Board denied a second grant because there is no evidence that the previously purchased vehicle was destroyed by a disaster through no fault of the Veteran.

The Veteran's tendonitis of the left tibialis anterior and dry eye syndrome are granted service connection. The Veteran is also granted a 10 percent disability rating for his patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for thoracic scoliosis, finding that there was no evidence of aggravation during service and concluding that the condition had not progressed beyond its natural progression.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left lower extremity, right lower extremity, and right upper extremity neurological disorders due to potential exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.