Other conditions decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin condition of the legs, head, neck and face, finding that there is no nexus between his current diagnosis and his military service. The Board concluded that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his in-service exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding service connection for cause of death and special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance/housebound.

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

The Veteran's diagnosed herpes zoster was incurred during a period of Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) and is therefore service connected.

The Veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates for recognition of his spouse and two stepchildren as dependents for the payment of additional benefits based on dependency status was denied. The Board found that no communications prior to April 25, 2014 could be construed as a formal or informal claim for dependency benefits.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's neurobehavioral effects are related to his service, specifically his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and/or radiation exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining informed consent forms and patient education materials related to his October 2008 eyelid surgery. The VA will determine if the additional disabilities were caused by an unforeseeable event.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cause of death. The VA is instructed to request an independent medical opinion from an oncologist and a hematologist.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right shoulder disability, as his condition may have worsened since the last examination.

The Veteran's stomach cancer is related to his service-connected esophageal cancer, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for dependency benefits is granted, as he submitted his claim on October 15, 2006. The Board found clear evidence sufficient to rebut the presumption of regularity due to errors in mailing addresses.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral eye disorder, finding that the current condition is not related to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an eye disability, finding no current diagnosis of such a condition and thus not meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has found that the RO did not substantially comply with the directives set forth in the February 2019 remand. The matter is being remanded again to obtain the full consent document for the Veteran's cataract surgery and an addendum VA opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral eye disability, including dry eye syndrome and macular drusen, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination in October 2017, and ordered additional medical records to be obtained. The Veteran is also required to authorize release of any private treatment records related to his left distal fibula fracture residuals or left ankle.

The Board denied service connection for an umbilical hernia, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for insomnia disorder related to night terrors with alcohol use disorder is granted prior to February 12, 2020. For the entire appeal period, the Veteran's condition is rated at 50 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the Veteran challenging the validity of the overpayment debt, and the AOJ must make an administrative decision regarding this issue.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's service-connected skin disorder renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.