Other conditions decisions — 2020

The Board has denied the restoration of service connection for antisocial personality disorder with alcohol use disorder, finding that the severance was proper due to clear and unmistakable error in granting service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability does not render them unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran and the appellant were divorced on December 15, 2011. As a result, the appellant is not entitled to an apportionment of the Veteran’s VA benefits as his spouse effective from that date.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's disability compensation benefits due to incarceration was proper and denied the appeal.

The Veteran's DVT of the bilateral lower extremities and urinary incontinence have been granted ratings as of July 12, 2012.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left eye disability, finding that there is no evidence of a left eye disability during or within one year after service and concluding that any current left eye condition is not related to service.

The Veteran's request for waiver of overpayment of Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) education benefits was remanded due to the Board finding it timely filed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right eye disability, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran's other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, claimed as PTSD, has been rated at 30 percent since the initial grant of service connection. The appeal is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertensive cardiovascular disease was caused by his service, including presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The examiner is asked to specifically consider a National Academy of Sciences report that moved hypertension from a 'limited or suggestive' category to a 'sufficient' category.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a scrotal disorder, including hernia and hydrocele, has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's request for additional VR&E benefits to complete a medical degree was denied as his circumstances had not changed and rehabilitation would be more likely if the long-range goal remained unchanged.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left hand disorder and has remanded two other claims: right hand disorder secondary to shoulder strain, and left hip disorder secondary to knee tendonitis and/or lumbar strain.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cataracts, finding that there is no causal relationship between his active duty service and his current condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypopharynx cancer and his presumed herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than April 9, 2012 for a 60 percent rating for service-connected gout is denied. The Board found that there was no factual basis to grant an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication due to a misapplication of regulations regarding unreimbursed medical expenses in reducing the Veteran's countable income.

The Veteran's death in January 2011 was found to be at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents, specifically the primary ingredient of Agent Orange. The esophageal cancer that led to his death is considered a service-connected condition due to this exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral seventh cranial nerve neuralgia of the mandible and TMJ dysfunction have been rated at 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively. The Board found that these ratings are appropriate given the current manifestations of the conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disorder, finding that the Veteran's current skin condition is not related to his military service.