Other conditions decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for Sjogren’s syndrome and rheumatic fever, to include residuals, finding that there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and incomplete compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's bilateral foot disorder, including flat feet, exostosis from osteoarthritis, and left peroneal neuritis, was not incurred during service or related to any in-service injury. The Veteran's hallux valgus of the feet is also denied as there is no evidence of a compensable condition prior to June 1, 2017.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and increased ratings for his seizure disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature of his brain hemorrhage and its impact on his seizure disorder.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is necessary due to the Veteran's contentions regarding his bilateral foot corns with recurrent calluses disabilities and their manifestations, including flare-ups.

The Board has determined that the procedural steps for a simultaneously contested claim have not been completed, and thus the case is remanded to ensure full compliance with the required procedures.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of August 18, 2014 for adding her son as a dependent school child to her compensation award due to lack of timely filing of the claim within one year of his 18th birthday and commencement of the course of study.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as there is no remaining controversy and the Veteran's pension benefits for when he was incarcerated for a felony have been corrected, with no outstanding debt.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for colon cancer with metastasis to the liver due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is not considered.

The Board has denied service connection for a lower respiratory disability, to include COPD and pulmonary emboli. The Veteran's bilateral hand conditions have been remanded due to the lack of a competent medical opinion linking his current disabilities to his active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition during or immediately after service and no credible assertion of continuity of symptoms. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have exposure to ionizing radiation during his military service.

The Veteran's cause of death, cancer of the pancreas, was not related to his service and therefore denied service connection for the cause of death. The appellant is also denied burial benefits as there were no qualifying circumstances.

The Board has remanded the case for further analysis regarding service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, specifically whether his colon cancer is related to presumed exposure to herbicides during service.

The Board has determined that the procedural steps for a simultaneously contested claim have not been completed, and thus remanded to ensure full compliance with the required procedures.

The Veteran's motions alleging clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in November 2017 Board decisions were dismissed. The motion regarding CUE in the November 8, 2017 decision was not pleaded with sufficient specificity.

The Board has decided that the case needs to be remanded for additional development and examination.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected left hip disabilities due to insufficient development and lack of clarity in previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate consideration of neurological symptoms associated with the Veteran's right index finger amputation. The case will be reviewed again for a proper rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete compliance with a previous remand directive. The Veteran's skin disorders, including actinic keratosis, petechial lesions, and seborrheic keratosis, are being reviewed for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is not service-connected as it is a personality disorder, which cannot be service connected. The symptoms are attributable to his personality disorder.