Other conditions decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to unresolved issues regarding service connection for the cause of death and substitution into pending claims. The exposure basis is related to burn pits, but further clarification is needed on whether the Veteran served in waters that are considered Vietnam's territorial waters.

The Veteran's bilateral hip DJD has worsened since her last examination, and she is unable to work due to the pain in her hips. The Board finds that a VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of her hip disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, as there may be outstanding VA treatment records that have not been included in the file. The Veteran needs to provide authorizations for VA to secure his private medical records from all identified providers.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lymphoma, which is presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure, has been remanded due to insufficient verification of his claimed exposure at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for an increased rating of Raynaud’s Syndrome, accepting the current disability rating and effective dates.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his cancer and military service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate VA examinations, and updated treatment records are needed. The Veteran seeks a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hip conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's neurological disabilities of the bilateral lower extremities are related to his service, specifically exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's zoster herpes simplex. The service connection for blurred vision secondary to diabetes mellitus remains denied.

The Board has decided that the VA's performance in an August 2010 right hip surgery did not cause the Veteran's current right foot drop and nerve problems, but the incomplete consent document raises questions about whether the Veteran understood the risks. The case is being sent back for further review.

The Veteran's lupus and inclusion body myositis are related to in-service tuberculosis, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for dependency benefits due to a lack of prior claims, and awarded the benefits on October 31, 2016.

The Board has determined that the overpayments of VA education benefits are valid and have granted a waiver of recovery, considering the appellant's financial hardship due to her medical condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to provide proper notice regarding the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic back pain has been reopened and remanded due to new evidence submitted. The ratings for her right and left hip strains are also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a deviated septum with nasal obstruction was granted effective from March 29, 1999. The Board also remanded the case to obtain additional medical records and schedule the Veteran for an examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic lymphocytic leukemia is likely due to his exposure to jet fuel during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for idiopathic paresthesias, bilateral upper extremities and RLE, with consideration of presumed exposure to herbicide agents and service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right foot ulcers as secondary to his service-connected right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Veteran's service-connected duodenitis with gastric reflux and history of duodenal ulcer do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, as his employment history shows he has been able to obtain employment in a mail room despite these conditions.