Other conditions decisions — 2021

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for endometriosis, status post hysterectomy, and uterine fibrosis as there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and her active duty service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left hand somatoform disorder, as secondary to his service-connected schizophrenia.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of both his right and left hands, finding that there was no evidence linking the conditions to service or presumed exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred on specific dates in 2000 and 2001 is being remanded due to missing documentation. The AOJ will attempt to locate the relevant records from St. Joseph Medical Center and inform the Veteran how he can obtain these records himself if needed.

The Board found that the termination of nonservice-connected pension benefits was proper due to excessive family income between January 1, 2004, and February 1, 2005, and effective January 1, 2006.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine if the Veteran had qualifying service in the Republic of Vietnam, which would allow for presumptive service connection for larynx cancer. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder with alcohol use disorder is rated at 70 percent since June 1, 2016. The Board also granted a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities since June 1, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for a neurological disability of the lower extremities, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and active service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board denied service connection for uterine fibroids, which the Veteran claimed were secondary to her service-connected Hodgkin's disease. The claim for SMC based on anatomical loss of a creative organ was also denied.

The Veteran's diagnosed hyperprolactinemia, characterized by fatigue, is found to be related to his military service and granted.

The Board has denied compensation benefits for an inguinal hernia under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, finding that the disability was not caused by VA fault or negligence. Service connection for an inguinal hernia is remanded due to lack of a medical opinion regarding herbicide agent exposure during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for stasis ulcer of the right lower extremity and left hip replacement, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected disability of status post total right knee arthoplasty. The decision is based on medical evidence that does not support a causal relationship between these conditions and his service-connected right knee condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a contemporaneous VA examination for dysthymic disorder and requests for updated VA treatment records. The Veteran will be scheduled for a new VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development, including inviting the Veteran to complete a VA Form 21-8940 and considering the TDIU claim in conjunction with the DEA benefits claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left eye disability, including optic atrophy and other conditions such as dermatochalasis, corneal opacity, etc., is etiologically related to his active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a left eye disability is granted.

The Board has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the Veteran's idiopathic cough and his active duty service, including any claimed in-service asbestos exposure. As such, the claim for service connection for an idiopathic cough is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed due to their death, and no service connection issues are addressed.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left and right ingrown toenails due to a lack of medical opinion regarding their etiology. The Veteran is asked to provide authorization for VA to obtain relevant private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for S-DVI under 38 U.S.C. § 1922 is held in abeyance until the AOJ completes all development and adjudicative actions on the issues of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities.

The Board has granted the waiver of recovery for the remaining balance of the Veteran's debt, finding that collection would be against equity and good conscience due to financial hardship.