Other conditions decisions — 2021

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected condition, and there were no pending claims for accrued benefits at the time of his death. Therefore, the claim for accrued benefits is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for multiple myeloma, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during active service and thus denying presumptive service connection. The Board also found that the disease manifestation requirement for multiple myeloma did not apply.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than December 20, 2011, for the assignment of a 50 percent rating for his service-connected cognitive disorder is denied. The Board found that there was no factually ascertainable increase in disability prior to December 20, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for aortic stenosis, finding that there was no evidence of chronic aortic stenosis in service or within the applicable presumptive period. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have a preexisting cardiovascular condition that was aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for adjustment disorder with depressed mood has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Raynaud's syndrome was granted with an effective date of September 27, 2010. The decision is based on the presumption of exposure to environmental hazards in Southwest Asia during their military service.

The Veteran's appeal seeking service connection for a right eye disability has been dismissed as he withdrew the appeal in his March 2021 Appeals Satisfaction Notice.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's right ring finger fracture residuals, finding that his symptoms did not warrant any higher rating based on Diagnostic Codes applicable to hand and finger disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for a clothing allowance was dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Board has determined that the VA opinion provided in December 2019 is inadequate and remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA clinician to address the etiology of the Veteran's cholelithiasis with primary sclerosing cholangitis. The claim will be readjudicated following completion of this development.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for service connection for blindness of the left eye, and the Board has dismissed this appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left hip conditions are being remanded for a new VA examination to assess their current severity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim regarding the request for waiver of recovery of overpayment of VA benefits due to a discrepancy in the amount and period covered by the debt. The appeal is being remanded to ensure that there is a complete and accurate record upon which to decide the Veteran's claim, including obtaining relevant DMC notices and conducting a paid and due audit.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a myocardial infarction, finding that there was no evidence linking the condition to his period of active duty or ACDUTRA. The Board concluded that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding of a nexus between the myocardial infarction and the June 2000 period of ACDUTRA.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for a left thumb and ring finger disability is granted at 10 percent. For the period prior to November 18, 2011, his right great toe disability is also granted an initial compensable rating of 10 percent.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for right hand injury is denied, and his claim for TDIU prior to December 13, 2017, is also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of an eye disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between his active service and any current eye condition.

The appeals for the claims of left and right upper extremity nerve impairments, secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, are dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Board denied an increased disability rating for costochondritis, finding the Veteran's symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for progressive supra-nuclear palsy was dismissed due to the death of the appellant during the pendency of the appeal.