Other conditions decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for colon and rectal cancer, finding that his condition is not related to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for a neck disability and service connection for multiple nerve disabilities as there was no appeal submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's upper respiratory infection is currently rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Prior to June 30, 2020, the service-connected eosinophilic gastritis was rated at 40 percent. Since then, it has been rated at 60 percent.

The Veteran died from a non-service-connected cause and was not buried in a national cemetery, so the claim for burial benefits in excess of $300.00 is denied.

The Veteran died from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular accident, but the claim for nonservice-connected burial benefits was denied as he did not meet the eligibility criteria.

The Veteran's esophagus cancer is remanded for a VA examination to evaluate the likely etiology of the condition, given his in-service exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 50 percent for his service-connected panic disorder and for TDIU due to conflicting medical evidence regarding the severity of his condition.

The Board has granted service connection for groin pain but has remanded the issue of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), claimed as constipation.

The Veteran's total blindness in his right eye was reasonably foreseeable and not due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill or error in judgement on the part of VA. Therefore, compensation pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for total blindness in the right eye is denied.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's death, as claims do not survive their deaths.

The Board denied benefits for spina bifida or other covered birth defects because the appellant does not have a diagnosis of spina bifida and her mother is not a Vietnam Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal for additional vocational rehabilitation and education benefits has been withdrawn by the Veteran, thus dismissing his claim.

The Board denied service connection for a dental condition for treatment purposes only and upheld the withholding of compensation for 52 training days in fiscal year 2014. The Veteran does not meet the requirements for any class of eligibility for VA outpatient dental treatment.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and outstanding service treatment records. The Veteran's inability to urinate (also claimed as urinary retention) is being evaluated for its relationship to his service-connected coronary artery disease status post coronary artery bypass graft with congestive heart failure.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for service-connected bilateral tendinitis and metatarsalgia was denied. However, the Board granted a separate disability rating of 10 percent for service-connected tendinitis of the bilateral feet from April 3, 2014.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's pituitary adenoma is related to a high fever due to a parasitic infection during service.

The Veteran's bruxism is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of her condition and whether her ear pain and worsening migraines are related.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for an eye disability and a throat disability, as well as the issue of TDIU. The Veteran's employment throughout the period on appeal is noted.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus was granted, but the appeal for an increased rating since March 18, 2014, was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service and no continuity of symptomatology. The Board also found that the current degenerative joint disease is not related to active duty service or his service-connected residuals of tuberculoid leprosy.