Other conditions decisions — 2021

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an apportionment of his VA disability compensation benefits on behalf of their child, C.H., due to financial hardship and inability to provide basic necessities.

The Veteran's appeal for non-service-connected pension benefits prior to July 1, 2017 has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal before a decision was made.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure and causation. The Veteran's death certificate lists metastatic bronchogenic carcinoma as the cause of death, but there is no current diagnosis of multiple myeloma in the medical records.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for bilateral glaucoma and total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the Board dismissed it.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of bilateral hand and foot cold injuries, also claimed as frostbite, finding no evidence of such injuries during active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right elbow disability has been granted in a December 2020 rating decision, making the appeal moot.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to outstanding treatment records and a need for clarification of previous opinions. The Veteran's representative requested further development.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable disability rating for difficulty chewing/swallowing due to Parkinson’s disease has been dismissed because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.

The appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has granted service connection for schwannoma of the pelvic area due to radiation exposure during service, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is at least as likely as not attributable to his in-service exposure. The decision also grants reopening of the claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an eye disability was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The VA RO also denied increased ratings for bronchial asthma, cervical spine disability before March 13, 2017, and GERD with gastritis. TDIU benefits were granted effective September 26, 2012 through February 28, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a mandible or TMJ condition, as well as his claims for initial compensable ratings for shin splints in both knees. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all relevant medical records and schedule the Veteran with an examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's myelodysplastic syndrome, which is considered as possibly related to his service in Southwest Asia during the Gulf War.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for clarification regarding whether the Veteran had a diagnosable gastrointestinal disorder attributable to service prior to 2007, or if he had medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness (MUCMI).

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities, and the Board has granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to November 23, 2020 is being remanded due to inconsistencies in his employment history and the need to obtain SSA disability records.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for Brown syndrome of the left eye is being remanded due to missing VA treatment records. The Board requests that a copy of the February 2020 non-VA care optometry consultation report be obtained and added to his claims file.

The Veteran's right wrist disability, which includes a chronic scaphoid fracture and degenerative joint disease, is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in rating beyond this level.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for VA death benefits because her deceased spouse did not have recognized military service, and therefore does not meet the eligibility requirements.