Other conditions decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's aortic aneurysm and his service, including any herbicide exposure. The issue of service connection for hypertension is still pending.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for polymyositis and dermatomyositis due to exposure to anthrax vaccine, as it is unclear whether these conditions are related to military service. The VA examiner must provide an addendum opinion addressing the relationship between the Veteran's in-service anthrax vaccine exposure and his current diagnoses.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, which represents a full grant of the benefit sought on appeal. As such, there remains no question of law or fact on appeal and the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal seeking to reopen a claim of service connection for squamous cell carcinoma.

The Veteran's left elbow degenerative joint disease is being remanded for further development as the VA examiner found it less likely than not caused by his service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease, but did not address whether it was due to using a cane. The case will be reviewed with an addendum opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection of a mental health condition, including PTSD. Additional development is needed due to an incomplete medical opinion from the April 2019 VA examination.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for non-service connected death pension benefits due to her annual income exceeding the maximum allowable pension rate (MAPR).

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for residuals of fracture of the left middle finger and service connection for disability of the left index finger are being remanded due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the cause of death and exposure to nuclear weaponry on the USS Shasta. The case will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for a VA examination to determine the nature and origin of his right eye disability, including whether any diagnosed defect or disease is related to service. The appeal regarding hypertension remains pending.

The Veteran's laryngeal cancer, which metastasized to other organs in the throat region, is presumed to be related to exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct link between his in-service exposure to radar and his esophageal adenocarcinoma. The Board also found that another relevant service-connected disability did not contribute to his death.

The Board has granted service connection for dermatophytosis, finding that the condition had its onset during active service.

The Veteran's mood disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has remanded both his claim for an increased rating and his TDIU claim due to incomplete employment history records.

The Veteran's cause of death, pericardial tamponade due to aortic dissection and fusiform aortic aneurysm, was not shown by competent evidence to be related to his service or any event of service, including a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his service-connected chronic adjustment disorder and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran and a hearing held, requiring further review of the pension benefits claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right toe and foot conditions due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has determined that the matter is not ripe for appellate review due to procedural issues and remands it for full compliance with contested claims procedures.

The appeal for service connection of soft tissue sarcoma is dismissed. The case for service connection of colon cancer is remanded.