Other conditions decisions — 2020

The Veteran's insomnia disorder is rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds no evidence of more than mild impairment and denies an increased rating.

The Veteran is granted an earlier effective date of June 1, 2018 for his award of special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to permanent and total disability caused by dementia.

The Board has determined that a claim for accrued benefits was not pending at the time of the Veteran's death, and thus remands the matter to correct this error.

The Board has granted service connection for squamous cell carcinoma, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether it was caused by herbicide agent exposure during active duty in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the appellant and the Veteran were legally married at the time of the Veteran's death, despite a separation due to the Veteran's misconduct. The Board granted recognition as the surviving spouse for VA death benefits eligibility.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by cholangiocarcinoma due to adenocarcinoma of the bile duct, which is presumed related to his in-service exposure to herbicides. As such, the appeal for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for HPV was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the Board found that any HPV infection she may have had during service resolved without residuals.,PTSD was evaluated at 50% and the Veteran’s TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board denied service connection for hepatic steatosis, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and the Veteran's military service, including presumed exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's rectus muscle disability with seroma/hematoma is denied as there is no evidence that the VA treatment in question resulted in additional disability and the proximate cause of the disability was not due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, or error in judgment on VA’s part.

The appeal was dismissed due to the appellant's death, and no jurisdiction remains for further action.

The Board dismissed the appeal of the waiver of indebtedness in the amount of $12,377.87 as it was resolved in favor of the Veteran by the Committee on Waivers and Compromises.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant requested to withdraw their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous remand directives regarding obtaining medical records for the Veteran's spouse. The case is now pending again.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and no service connection issues were decided.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to outstanding VA treatment records and potential relevance of the Veteran's May 2020 hospitalization at Robert Packer Hospital. The rating for laryngeal cancer residuals remains unchanged, but the special monthly compensation case is affected by the outcome.

The Veteran's right-hand condition is granted service connection, and the Board also found that her hip conditions need to be re-examined due to indications of worsening.

The Board denied service connection for a right arm disability, finding no current diagnosis and insufficient evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's HIV is service-connected, as there is a reasonable doubt in favor of the claim. The evidence shows that the Veteran received a positive HIV test during service and began treatment for HIV shortly after.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of left fifth toe surgery, including arthritis and post-surgical residuals related to corn and hammertoe. The disability is presumed due to combat service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of evidence regarding the Veteran's claim for service connection for an inguinal hernia. The VA medical opinion was not adequate and further development is required.