Other conditions decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete employment history and missing Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The Veteran needs to provide a complete application for TDIU, including all work history after service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination findings for assessing the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected residuals of a right fibula fracture. The Veteran needs an updated VA examination to determine his current disability level.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a chest disorder due to lack of new and material evidence, as no clinically confirmed diagnosis was found in the added VA treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically other specified trauma and stressor related disorder. Service connection for PTSD was denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, anemia, residuals of splenectomy, and immune system disorder (depressed immune system) due to insufficient development. The gynecological claim remains denied.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for his left long finger, ring finger, and little finger disabilities have been denied. His thoracic kyphosis has also not resulted in a higher rating.

The Veteran's cause of death was acute chronic respiratory failure, kocuria bacteremia, and pulmonary fibrosis. The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether his exposure to Agent Orange in service is related to these causes of death.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). The matter is being sent back for further examination and a reasoned medical explanation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for leukemia and for the cause of his death due to leukemia, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to herbicide agent exposure or any other presumptive basis. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of Chronic B-cell leukemia.

The Veteran's daughter received a burial allowance based on service-connected death, but the appellant (the friend of the Veteran) is denied reimbursement for funeral expenses as she did not provide sufficient evidence to substantiate her claim.

The Board has granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent for the Veteran's right Achilles tendon rupture, finding that his symptoms meet the criteria for this rating based on marked limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for avascular necrosis of the left first metatarsal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and proper notice.

The Board has granted service connection for a sleep disorder, finding that it is caused by the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's Raynaud's syndrome is being remanded for a new examination to determine the current severity of his disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for chondromalacia patella, left knee and radial head and condyle fracture, status post open reduction internal fixation, now with arthritis have been denied as the evidence does not support a rating greater than 10 percent.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the Board found that his MDS was not related to his military service or exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx residuals have been rated under DC 6516, which is analogous to chronic laryngitis. The October 2020 rating decision found that there was a duty to obtain another VA examination to ascertain the current nature and severity of his condition due to a change in symptoms or allegation of worsening.

The Veteran's cause of death, metastatic esophageal cancer, is related to his service exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of service connection for the cause of death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for dependency payments, finding that VA was first informed of his marriage to spouse C.W.S. on August 11, 2019.

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