Other conditions decisions — 2021

The Appellant's annual income exceeds the maximum allowed pension rate, making her ineligible for death pension.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left heel disability, finding that there is no current diagnosis related to such condition and thus not meeting the first element of establishing service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of VA treatment records and the need for an examination to determine if the Veteran's pulmonary disability is related to service, specifically asbestos exposure. The matter will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and no service connection decision can be made.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for congestive heart failure and hypertensive vascular disease due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives. Further development is needed, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his ischemic heart disease or if it has aggravated his condition.

The Board dismissed the appeal because no substantive appeal was received within the required timeframe, thus losing jurisdiction over the case.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) first manifested during his active duty service or within one year following separation, and therefore grants service connection for SLE.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep disorder is a separate disability from his service-connected major depressive disorder, and if it can be linked to his active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for a waiver of recovery of overpayment of VA disability benefits, finding that it would not be against equity and good conscience to require repayment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer due to exposure to ionizing radiation or rocket fuel fumes was denied as the evidence did not support a causal link between his condition and active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's VA treatment in May 2012 caused his anoxic brain injury and additional disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an effective date prior to March 7, 2018 for his service-connected right total hip arthroplasty. The decision found that the original claim was denied in September 2013 and did not include a timely appeal, making the September 2013 rating decision final. As such, the earliest effective date available is March 7, 2018, when the Veteran filed an intent to file for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA examination report and the need for further clarification on whether the Veteran's right foot arthritis is related to his service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for atrial fibrillation as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, finding that there was no competent or credible evidence linking the condition to the medications he took for his knee pain.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for vascular surgeries of the bilateral lower extremities was denied due to a normal progression of his condition, and his claim for TDIU was also denied as he did not meet the percentage standards set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to non-compliance with previous instructions regarding the calculation of the Appellant's income and unreimbursed medical expenses for each annualization period from 2013 to the present. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has granted a separate extraschedular rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's residuals of right inguinal hernia status post hernioplasty, which includes limitations of motion and chronic pain.

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

The Veteran's claims for annual clothing allowances due to the use of Clobetasol topical cream in 2015 and Desonide and Clotrimazole topical creams in 2017 were denied because the prescribed medications did not cause irreparable damage to outer garments, only undergarments and bedding.

The Board denied reopening of the Veteran's claims for service connection for osteochondritis dissecans of both knees due to lack of new and material evidence, as all submitted evidence was considered duplicative or not related to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.