Other conditions decisions — 2021

The Board has found that another remand is necessary to ensure compliance with previous remand instructions regarding the Veteran's current lower extremity diagnoses.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck disorder is not related to his in-service motor vehicle accident or any other post-service events, and therefore service connection cannot be granted.

The Board's decision on the attorney fee claim is remanded due to a lack of notification to the Veteran regarding the contents of the appellant's VA Form 9.

The Board denied service connection for psoriatic arthritis, finding that the Veteran's condition was not incurred in or caused by his military service, including as due to herbicide exposure. The Board noted there were no complaints, treatment, or diagnoses of a rash or psoriasis during active service and that symptoms did not manifest until many decades after separation.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his left thumb disability was denied. The current rating of 10 percent is consistent with the severity of the condition as determined by VA examinations.

The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no service connection decision is made.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right hip disorders, including whether they are related to service or service-connected lumbar strain.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability, finding that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service exposure or a relationship to service. The TDIU claim was also denied as there was insufficient information about the Veteran's employment during the relevant period.

The Board denied service connection for a left inguinal hernia as the evidence did not show it was incurred due to or aggravated by any injury sustained in the line of duty during reserve service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's Fabry disease, particularly in relation to service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, including colon polyps and diverticulosis but excluding residuals of colon cancer. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a separate gastrointestinal disability apart from his colon cancer.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and an earlier effective date for TDIU has been dismissed due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of clarity in how 'sedentary' and 'light duty' work is defined, requiring further medical evaluation.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for urethral stricture, finding that the correct date is January 26, 2011.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining medical opinions on whether the Veteran's stomach cancer was not properly diagnosed by VA physicians and whether it resulted from exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's skin disabilities and his service, including exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran is not entitled to a presumption of service connection based on herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's hip conditions, specifically DJD of the left and right hips with limited extension, are rated at 10 percent each. The appeals for higher ratings have been denied.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for onychauxis of the right hallux prior to August 2, 2019 was denied.,The Veteran's rating in excess of 10 percent for onychauxis of the right hallux from August 2, 2019 was also denied.,The Veteran's initial compensable rating for onychomycosis of the right hallux was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his trench foot disability contributed to his death. The preponderance of evidence supports this conclusion.

The Board has determined that the VA examiner's opinions are inadequate and remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a specialist to address the etiology of the Veteran’s current disabilities of the bilateral upper and lower extremities.