Other conditions decisions — 2021

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his right eye disability, finding that there was no evidence showing a relationship between any current ocular conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current stress fracture in his foot is related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities, and therefore is denied special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance and/or housebound status.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD caused or aggravated her vitiligo. The TDIU issue is also remanded as it is intertwined with the service connection claim.

The Veteran's death was not eligible for burial transportation allowance because he was cremated and did not meet the requirement of being buried in a national cemetery.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hair loss and alcohol abuse secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete development.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral elbow disability may be related to his in-service helicopter crash, but needs further examination and opinion to determine this.

The appeal for survivors' pension benefits is dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left hip degenerative joint disease are being remanded due to the receipt of new evidence.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for service-connected insomnia was granted, with a 50% disability rating effective June 24, 2019. The current rating is in line with the severity of his symptoms as of that date.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain the appellant's service department records in order to determine his reason for discharge, as he did not meet the required active duty service duration.

The Board has denied service connection for loss of teeth and a skin condition for accrued benefit purposes due to lack of evidence supporting the claims. The case is being remanded for further development regarding the qualifications of the VA examiner who conducted the October 2018 skin examination.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no disability rating was assigned.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's ulcerative colitis and its relation to service, including exposure to burn pits. The examiner is requested to provide a complete rationale for their opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of bilateral chalazion excisions, finding that there were no symptoms related to this condition and that it did not cause any visual impairment or disfigurement.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the Board not discussing whether an evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and entitlement to a TDIU prior to February 20, 2018, were warranted.,The issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to February 20, 2018, is raised by the record but has not been addressed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions and their relation to his military service, particularly concerning colon cancer and a diagnosed hiatal hernia.

The Board has determined that clarification of the record is necessary and the matter is REMANDED for the directives below. The Veteran should be asked to provide information pertaining to his income and medical expenses throughout the appeal period, and a detailed accounting of overpayment of pension benefits should be provided.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left hand disabilities, as well as his increased ratings for various knee and back conditions. The case is being remanded to comply with prior directives.,The Veteran's current right and left hand arthritis was found not to be related to service, and he did not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a digestive system condition (separate and distinct from diverticulitis with lactose intolerance) is being remanded due to the need for clarification on whether his service-connected diverticulosis with lactose intolerance could cause his diagnosed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.