Other conditions decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about the Veteran's periods of active duty service, specifically in June 1994. The decision is pending further development.

The Veteran's claim for VA outpatient dental treatment is denied because he does not meet the eligibility criteria, including having a compensable service-connected condition or being eligible under other specific categories.

The Veteran's death was determined to be the result of disease incurred in active military service, specifically malaria contracted during his time as a prisoner of war. As such, the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1121 is granted.

The Veteran's death was not caused by or related to service, including herbicide exposure. Service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability was denied a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to November 12, 2013.,The Veteran's left shoulder disability was also denied a rating in excess of 30 percent from November 12, 2013.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding VR&E services and pursuit of a doctoral degree in osteopathic medicine. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's right lower extremity cold injury residuals are currently rated at 30 percent, but no higher.,Prior to March 23, 2021, the left lower extremity cold injury residuals were rated at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for restless leg syndrome due to a lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for status post umbilical hernia repair is denied. The Board found that the available schedular evaluations were adequate and did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has denied service connection for a respiratory condition and remanded the issue of service connection for residuals from a right eye injury.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with the reconstructed roster of Filipino guerrillas and the appellant's father's service record. The appellant is given an opportunity to apply for a correction of his father's military record.

The Board denied the reduction in VA disability compensation due to concurrent receipt of military service drill pay for two periods: October 1, 2015 to November 25, 2015 (71 days) and November 25, 2015 to February 6, 2016 (54 days).

The Board denied service connection for colon cancer, finding that the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during military service was insufficient to establish a link between his condition and his time in service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for multiple myeloma, which he asserts is due to herbicide agent exposure, has been remanded. The Board notes that the Veteran served aboard a submarine in the Republic of Vietnam and suggests additional logbooks may be available to confirm his presence offshore.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded due to incomplete documentation and for clarification of the total overpayment and resulting debt charged to the Veteran. The AOJ must create a clear accounting as to how the Veteran's total overpayment was calculated, resolve any discrepancies in reported debt amounts, and consider whether VA was solely responsible for the appellant being erroneously paid benefits.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal regarding the selection of his spouse as a fiduciary for managing his VA benefits. The issue of whether the Veteran is competent to manage his own financial affairs was also addressed, and the Board found that he lacks the mental capacity to do so.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for December 23, 2016 were approved as the treatment was for a medical emergency and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left lower extremity condition, claimed as restless leg syndrome, due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its relationship to his in-service injuries and service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for myasthenia gravis, finding that it is not related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's employment history prior to March 6, 2018 and how his service-connected disabilities affected his employability during this period.