Other conditions decisions — 2021

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an effective date prior to May 7, 2021 for the grant of service connection for loss of use of the bilateral lower extremities. The award was granted based on a VA examination conducted in July 2020 and signed in August 2020, which showed that the Veteran had lost the ability to bear weight on his legs and was wheelchair bound due to service-connected Parkinson's disease.

The Veteran's claims for payment or reimbursement of emergency transportation and medical services provided are denied as the balances owed by the Veteran are copayments, not covered under health-plan contracts.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an effective date prior to July 21, 2020 for the award of SMC based on the need for aid and attendance. The evidence did not show that the Veteran required aid and attendance from May 7, 2020 to July 21, 2020.

The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the left lung is found to be related to his in-service exposure to asbestos, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a deviated nasal septum, status postnasal surgery is being remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The Board will now consider whether this condition was acquired during active duty service or if it had its onset in service.

The Veteran's service-connected atherosclerosis of bilateral lower extremities with intermittent claudication was rated by analogy under Diagnostic Code 7114, arteriosclerosis obliterans. The VA examination report is deemed inadequate and the Veteran needs to be afforded a new VA examination.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the AOJ had already determined that the request for medical expense reimbursement was timely.

The Veteran's lung carcinoma status post left lower lobectomy was reduced from a 30 percent rating to noncompensable, effective March 1, 2021. The Board finds that the reduction was improper and restores the 30 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for an acoustic neuroma, finding that the most probative evidence shows it was incurred during active duty.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for cellulitis is remanded due to incomplete VA examination and duty to assist error.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability, nor did he have a permanent total service-connected disability at the time of his death. Therefore, the Veteran does not meet the eligibility criteria for DEA benefits.

The Veteran's service-connected panic disorder with agoraphobia is rated at 100 percent, and she is permanently housebound by reason of this disability. The Board granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's service-connected left varicocele, finding that it did not result in complete atrophy of either testis or removal of either testis. The Veteran's symptoms were primarily intermittent pain and swelling.

The Veteran's skin disability, specifically mycosis fungoides, is currently rated at 30 percent and the Board has decided to remand this case for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional evidentiary development, including obtaining relevant service records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's cause of death is remanded due to the need for further development regarding exposure to herbicide agents and a medical opinion on the etiology of his stomach cancer and Hodgkin's disease with multi-organ failure.

The Veteran is seeking to have VA compensation benefits for FY 2009 drill pay withheld. The Board has instructed the RO to obtain his individual, monthly LES from October 2008, November 2008, and December 2008.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for the cause of death and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to ongoing review at the Agency of Original Jurisdiction.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's calcified plural plaques are related to asbestos exposure during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete information regarding the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during his military service.