Other conditions decisions — 2022

The Board has decided the appeal is remanded due to incomplete development and needs further medical opinions on service connection for gout and arthritis, as well as secondary service connection.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral foot disorder did not originate in active service or until years thereafter and is not otherwise related to active service. The left lower extremity disorder claim is remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral lower extremity swelling is not service-connected, and remands the case for a new VA examination to determine its nature and etiology.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a stroke and left leg paralysis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depression and anxiety disorder, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, respectively.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to his death.

The Veteran's liver transplant residuals are denied a rating in excess of 30 percent.,His surgical scars are also denied a compensable rating.

The Veteran's niece is contesting the total amount of accrued benefits she is entitled to for reimbursing expenses borne for her uncle's last sickness and burial. The Board finds that remand is necessary to allow the appellant to submit additional evidence, including any expenses she incurred or paid for her uncle's care and funeral.

The Board denied the appellant's claim to be recognized as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA death benefits because her marriage to the Veteran was legally dissolved in October 1969, and she did not meet the legal requirements of a surviving spouse.

The Veteran is granted a separate 10 percent rating for interference with the overall function of his right hand due to residuals of fracture of the right little finger.,An initial compensable rating for residuals of fracture of the right metacarpal (little finger) was denied.

The Board granted an effective date of September 17, 2011 for the addition of the Veteran's spouse as his dependent to his VA disability compensation award. The appeal was based on a claim filed within one year of the marriage.

The Board denied a compensable initial disability rating for right thoracic muscle group XXI injury, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for moderate, moderately severe, or severe disability as required by Diagnostic Code 5321.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right and left hip disorders due to insufficient discussion in the May 2021 VA examination report. The examiner is asked to provide an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hip disorders had their onset during service or are otherwise related.

The Veteran was awarded a TDIU on both a schedular and an extraschedular basis for his service-connected disabilities from July 20, 2012 through December 1, 2014.,The decision is based on the Veteran's inability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected left foot disability and left upper extremity disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic joint pain and fatigue due to service, as well as secondary service connection for left carpal tunnel syndrome. Additional development is needed including obtaining medical opinions on the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to pending development, including a scheduled VA examination for the claim of service connection for a neck disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her service-connected stress fracture of the left tibia was denied as she failed to appear for a scheduled VA examination without good cause.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his bilateral Achilles' tendonitis disabilities due to the need to address evidence from a September 2020 VA examination and an October 2020 addendum opinion.

The Board has found that the case should be remanded to consider TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to service-connected disabilities, despite the Appellant's failure to submit a completed VA Form 21-8940.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal, and there is no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the case.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and development due to the need for a comprehensive opinion regarding his left elbow condition, PTSD rating, bilateral shoulder conditions, and potential aggravation of existing disabilities. The Veteran also requested rescheduling of his VA PTSD examination.