Other conditions decisions — 2021

The Board denied service connection for right hip trochanteric bursitis, finding that the evidence did not support a secondary relationship to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for Peyronie's disease, finding that the Veteran's symptoms had their onset in service and are related to his active duty.

Your appeals for stomach, left toe and back disorders have been dismissed as the Veteran opted into the modernized appeals system (AMA) by submitting a VA Form 10182 within 60 days of receiving the March 6, 2019 SSOC denying these claims.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding an earlier effective date for dependency benefits for his spouse. The Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right and left hip disorders, as secondary to service-connected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), lumbar strain, and/or right knee and left knee patellofemoral syndrome. The remand requires additional VA medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with its May 2021 remand orders and another remand of the issue is necessary due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's eye disability, including cataracts, macular degeneration, and dermatochalasis, needs further examination and opinion regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome is currently rated at 40 percent disabling from November 8, 2018. The Board denied a higher rating for the period prior to October 4, 2012 and between October 4, 2012 and November 7, 2018.

The Board has not received a decision on the Veteran's request for a waiver of recovery of the overpayment amount due to concurrent receipt of drill pay in Fiscal Year 2012. The case is being remanded to refer this issue to the Committee on Waivers and Compromises.

The Veteran's stomach cancer, which was diagnosed in March 2009 and presumed to be related to his service due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, is found to have caused the Veteran's death. The Board finds that there is equipoise of evidence regarding whether the stomach cancer was caused by Agent Orange exposure during service.

The appeal of entitlement to reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses at a non-VA facility in March 2007 and July 2008 is dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for residuals of a right foot injury before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationales in previous opinions and a need for more thorough consideration of the Veteran's education, work history, and employability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cause of death and its relation to service, particularly asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left elbow conditions have been denied as the evidence does not show the required limitations of motion to warrant a higher rating.,No new or material evidence has reopened any previously denied service connection claims, and thus no additional benefits are granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete service records and potential exposure to hazardous materials or herbicides. The Appellant is advised to provide alternative evidence and VA will attempt to obtain missing records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy, finding that there was no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents and no causal relationship between his current condition and service. The effective date for the grant of service connection for chronic sinusitis remains August 7, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100% rating for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is denied as the increase in disability was not factually ascertainable prior to March 2, 2017.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for left foot metatarsalgia was denied, but he is now granted a 10 percent rating.,Right foot hallux valgus/rigidus has been granted an initial 10 percent rating. The effective date of this grant remains August 31, 2017.

The Veteran's squamous cell cancer of the maxillary sinus and related secondary conditions are remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine their etiology.

The Veteran's brachial plexopathy is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it was proximately caused by his October 2014 cardiac surgery at the Portland VAMC.