Other conditions decisions — 2022

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for TDIU, and the Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lymphedema, left lower extremity was denied. The initial increased rating claim for lymphedema, testicles with voiding dysfunction associated with lymphedema, right lower extremity was also denied. SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ due to erectile dysfunction secondary to lymphedema, testicles with voiding dysfunction was granted. TDIU from July 11, 2017, to November 6, 2019, was granted.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is a radiogenic disease. The claim will be referred to the Department of Defense for dose assessment and consideration under special development procedures.

The Board found that the appellant's initial period of service was honorable, and his subsequent discharge under other than honorable conditions did not bar him from VA benefits due to dishonorable conduct. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for peptic ulcer disease (also claimed as stomach ulcers), to include as due to tactical herbicide agent exposure, has been granted. The case is remanded for further development and an examination.

The appeal was dismissed due to the appellant's death, and no jurisdiction remains for further action.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection of colon cancer due to insufficient medical opinion regarding herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's testicular cancer was present within one year of discharge, warranting service connection on a presumptive basis.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of non-VA medical care provided at Doctors Hospital of Sarasota on June 4, 2017 is granted because the treatment was necessary due to a serious medical emergency and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to a lack of referral for extraschedular consideration following the grant of service connection for the right hand condition. The case is returned to the Director of Compensation Service for further review.

The Board has remanded the service connection claim for essential tremors due to an inadequate VA medical opinion.

The Board denied the claim for accrued benefits in excess of $45,161 as there are no additional benefits due to the surviving spouse that remain unpaid.

The Veteran's service-connected Crohn's disease has been rated at 10 percent, but the Board has now granted a higher initial rating of 30 percent effective April 30, 2014.

The Veteran's right foot hammertoe disability is granted a 10 percent rating, but no higher.

The Veteran's right-hand tendon rupture was not caused by VA care, and the Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of negligence or fault on the part of VA. The delay in diagnosis did not cause the injuries to continue.

The Board has not found sufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran's hypopigmentation is related to his service in Saudi Arabia. The case is being sent back for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for pancreatitis and gallbladder removal residuals is being remanded due to the inadequacy of a recent VA examination report. The Board requests additional medical records and schedules the Veteran for a new VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's right eye injury and his current conditions, including dry eye syndrome and cataracts.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate July 2018 VA examination that did not address the direct theory of entitlement for a heart disability. The Veteran's service connection claim is now pending and requires additional medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings were denied. The effective date for the award of service connection for retinal detachments was determined to be August 30, 1995, based on his informal claim for an increased evaluation for conjunctivitis.