Other conditions decisions — 2022

The Board dismissed challenges to the temporary termination of disbursements of VA compensation benefits and denied a retroactive waiver of overpayment debt. The Veteran's past-due benefits were used to offset his overpayment debt, leaving him with $9,499.58 in discretionary income.

The Veteran's eligibility for benefits under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is being remanded due to a legal error in the initial decision. The Board finds that the Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team (CEAT)'s review was inadequate, and thus requires a new medical determination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in providing forms for medical records and not accounting for all medical expenses. The Appellant is asked to provide updated documentation, including Social Security Administration benefit records, paid medical expenses, and income from sources other than social security.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal regarding the issue of an effective date prior to March 20, 2020, for recognition of her spouse's status for dependency allowance purposes. The Board dismissed this issue as a result.

The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's essential tremor is related to his service.

The Board has determined that the previous PCAFC eligibility determination was based on an incorrect legal standard and requires remand to correct this error.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, which may be related to his service and exposure to hazardous chemicals.

The Veteran's request to extend the delimiting date for Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits beyond January 15, 2020 was denied as there were no applicable circumstances that would allow an extension.

The Board has granted the appellant's claim to release $2,471.08 in additional attorney fees as a result of past-due benefits awarded in January 2019, and this decision is not contingent upon receipt of an audit error worksheet from DFAS.

The Veteran was appointed a fiduciary due to being found incompetent, and the appeal is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the Veteran's prostate disorder and its relationship to his inservice herbicide exposure. The Veteran is advised that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature of his prostate disorder, which may qualify as prostate cancer, and whether it is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to May 31, 2016, for service connection of Dupuytren's contracture left and right hands were denied.,The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for Dupuytren's contracture left and right hands are remanded.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for hammertoes of the right and left feet, finding that the correct facts were before the RO at the time of the April 2012 rating decision, which granted service connection with an effective date of October 31, 1997.

The Board has found the May 2019 VA examination inadequate and remanded for a new examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected hip disabilities.

Your appeal for service connection for stomach cancer has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left eye exophthalmos and a compensable rating for left eye lattice degeneration due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's medical training in her statements and evidence.

The Veteran's G6PD deficiency did not result in any of the specified symptoms or conditions that would warrant a compensable evaluation under VA rating criteria, and thus his claim for an initial compensable evaluation is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and requests for additional development. The Veteran's claim of service connection for gastric ulcers and gastritis, including as secondary to her service-connected psoriasis, is now pending.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for cataract, status post left lens extraction with intraocular lens replacement with dry eye and floaters is remanded. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to the inextricably intertwined nature of the issues.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his hypertension and cardiovascular disease were not shown as chronic during active duty service or related to an in-service disease or injury.