Other conditions decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the Veteran's right thigh injury and obtaining additional evidence. The issues of increased rating for residuals, right thigh penetrating injury; an earlier effective date for the 10 percent rating for scar, right thigh penetrating injury; and TDIU are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for gout, cervical spine disorder, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus due to a lack of supporting rationale from Dr. Artabazon.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is required to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed leukemia, as there are insufficient competent medical evidence on file for the Secretary to make a decision without further investigation.

The Board denied service connection for Crohn's disease, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran’s diagnosed condition and his active duty service.

The appeal for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment in the amount of $7,066.43 and its validity is dismissed as the Veteran has been granted equitable relief from the debt.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic yeast infections, finding that the Veteran's condition is related to her in-service treatment and symptoms. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with obtaining an independent medical opinion and further review of the claims file.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for loss of right eye due to negligence by VA in providing treatment, finding that the Veteran's condition was not caused by VA care.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the effective date for a 60 percent rating for chronic prostatitis was dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's right index and long finger disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under DC 5229. The Board finds that these ratings adequately reflect the severity of his disability.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a brain tumor and/or meningioma is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current condition began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,Service connection for nerve damage of the hands is also denied. The Board found no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current hand symptoms to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left and right hips as secondary to service-connected disabilities, finding that there was no evidence showing these hip conditions were aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for pulmonary emphysema, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's disabilities, both service-connected and nonservice-connected, made him need the regular aid and attendance of another person or made him housebound.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for partial amputation of the right thumb, finding that it is not secondary to or caused by his service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant, who is not a valid substitute due to lack of standing, lacks evidence that she bore the expenses for her father's last sickness and burial.

The Board has ordered a new examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected skin disability, specifically addressing the number and location of lesions, their relation to flare-ups, and whether these symptoms are related to his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for DEA benefits is denied because she did not have a permanent and total service-connected disability prior to April 25, 2018.

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

The Veteran's bilateral incipient cataracts and binasal inferior quadranopsia visual field defect are rated as 10 percent disabling from April 1, 2012 to September 23, 2015. The Board has remanded the issues for further development.