Other conditions decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death from ALS, effective June 20, 2015. The appellant is seeking an earlier effective date, but this request is denied as there are no legal grounds to support such a claim.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) before the Board could make a decision. As a result, the issue is dismissed.

The Veteran's death is caused by hairy cell leukemia, which the Board finds to be related to his service. The appeal for service connection for cause of death is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of compliance with previous remand directives and proper development is needed for a VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for mild obstructive lung disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the skin disorder, but dismissed the appeal as there is no longer a case or controversy regarding this issue.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The claims will be reconsidered after obtaining updated treatment records and a new examination.

The Veteran's earlier effective date for special monthly pension is granted to June 1, 2017, as the Board found reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran and accepted his claim based on his testimony.

The Board denied service connection for fungal infection of the feet, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between the condition and active service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and any private evaluations or treatment records. The effective dates and ratings for PTSD and lumbar spine disability will be addressed in a SOC.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is denied because there is no evidence of herbicide exposure, the disability was not initially diagnosed during service or within one year after service, and there is no medical opinion linking CLL to active service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected right knee patellofemoral syndrome was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent, as the flexion limitation during flare-ups or after repetitive use over time was limited to 70 degrees.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination during an active phase of the Veteran's intertrigo fungus, which is most likely to occur in hot weather. The Veteran will be provided with a new VA examination and asked to provide additional lay evidence regarding his skin condition.

The Veteran's service connection for basal cell carcinomas has been granted, but the VA treatment records are incomplete. The Board is remanding the case to obtain more recent medical evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA examination opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral eye condition. The examiner did not provide clear explanations for their findings and the Veteran was diagnosed with cataracts that were removed, complicating the analysis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his T5-6 disc herniation are remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's overpayment of VA benefits is being remanded due to the need for confirmation of her drill pay days in FY 2016.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for tongue and tonsil cancer due to a lack of recent VA treatment records and the need for a medical opinion regarding the cause of his cancers.

The Veteran's initial compensable ratings for hyposmia (loss of sense of smell) and partial loss of taste have been denied.,His claims for increased ratings for anxiety disorder, TBI with post-concussive disorder, migraines, and individual unemployability are being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental condition, including gum disease, finding no evidence of a current dental condition related to an in-service trauma and noting that the weight of the competent evidence was against a finding that the Veteran’s current dental condition is related to any claimed in-service trauma.