Other conditions decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claim for service connection for VA outpatient dental treatment was denied as he did not meet the eligibility criteria under 38 C.F.R. § 17.161.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Veteran's service records show he had sleep issues during his active duty. He was prescribed medication for insomnia both in and out of service.,He has been diagnosed with macular degeneration since leaving the military, and continues to see a local army base for glasses.

The Veteran's adult son, who served as his mother’s fiduciary until her death in October 2013, is granted reimbursement of funds used to pay for expenses associated with the Veteran's surviving spouse's last illness.

The Board has granted service connection for liver disease manifested by fatty liver, but denied service connection for a prostate disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for left foot tendinitis and right hip tendinitis, both secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disorder.

The Veteran's back condition is currently rated at 40% from October 26, 2017. The Board finds the evidence supports this rating as it shows significant limitation of motion and functional impairment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for anemia, finding that his condition did not have its onset in service and was not related to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's request for a temporary total disability evaluation based on laser surgery for leukoplakia is denied. The issues of service connection for achalasia and entitlement to TDIU prior to September 23, 2009 are remanded.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral lower extremity neurologic conditions should be remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding secondary service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for an infection following a December 2008 right partial nephrectomy, finding that there was no evidence of carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, or error in judgment on the part of VA.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to proceed with the case as he died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Winchester Medical Center for her emergency treatment on April 30, 2014 through May 2, 2014 are granted as the condition was emergent and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hand disability, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service or any service-connected conditions.

The Board dismissed the claim for retroactive dependency allowance as the Veteran opted-in to the modernized appeals process under the AMA.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative disk disease, right side lumbar radiculopathy, and left side lumbar radiculopathy were denied. The rating assigned was 40 percent for the intervertebral disc syndrome.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for special monthly pension (SMP) at the aid and attendance rate prior to May 8, 2019, finding that her conditions did not render her helpless or nearly so as to require regular aid and attendance of another person.

The Board denied separate compensable ratings for instability of the right knee, a separate disability rating for instability of the left knee prior to October 1, 2019, and a higher disability rating for instability of the left knee from October 1, 2019 onward.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding the issues of overpayment of VA disability compensation benefits and whether a waiver was warranted. As such, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional information regarding the Veteran's exposure to radiation and herbicide agents during service, which could impact his cause of death claim.