Other conditions decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of the lower extremities is being remanded due to incomplete records. The AOJ needs to add all relevant medical records, including those from Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Dr. C.W., to the claims file.

The Board has determined that the March 2020 VA examiner's opinion is inadequate and a new examination is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for left arm disability, including tingling, pain, and numbness. The examiner must provide opinions on causation and aggravation of service-connected disabilities and medications.

Your appeals for increased ratings have been withdrawn.,The Board has dismissed your claims for increased ratings of the residuals of a left ankle fracture with sliding bone graft, residuals of a fracture of the left femur with hip disability, and scars on the left hip and ankle.

The Board denied service connection for right and left upper extremity nerve disorders, finding that the conditions were not caused by exposure to Agent Orange or service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's medical treatment at Capital Regional Medical Center on March 31, 2016 was for a follow-up service of a prior hand laceration. The Board found that the condition was an emergent one and that VA facilities were not feasibly available to provide the necessary care. Therefore, payment or reimbursement is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left great toe injury, as well as whether his service-connected left knee disability caused or aggravated this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear issues regarding functional impairment and aggravation of service-connected spine disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH) and a skin disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran contends that these conditions are related to his presumed herbicide exposure, but the VA examiners did not provide sufficient rationale in their opinions.

Your appeal has been dismissed as the service connection for your claimed conditions was fully granted in a previous rating decision.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an addendum opinion to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed eye condition, as well as his memory loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for restoration of Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance benefits due to the closure and withdrawal of approval from WyoTech-Fremont, as the Veteran was not enrolled at the school on or after January 1, 2015.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to incomplete documentation. The VA will resend the necessary forms to the correct address.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including chondromalacia patella and degenerative joint disease, is rated at 20 percent effective March 11, 2021. The limitation of extension of the right knee due to chondromalacia patella is also granted.

The Veteran's child, L., was previously recognized as his dependent for VA purposes and removed from his award of VA disability benefits upon her 18th birthday. The Board found that she turned 23 years old many years prior to the August 2013 claim for dependency benefits.,The Veteran's child, S., was previously recognized as his dependent for VA purposes and removed from his award of VA disability benefits upon her 18th birthday. The Board found that she turned 23 years old many years prior to the August 2013 claim for dependency benefits.,The Veteran's child, R., was previously recognized as his dependent for VA purposes and removed from his award of VA disability benefits upon her 18th birthday. The Board found that she turned 23 years old many years prior to the August 2013 claim for dependency benefits.,The Veteran's son, R., Jr., elected to receive Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits under Chapter 35, effective January 17, 2012. The Board found that this constituted a duplication of benefits and denied the Veteran's claim.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for bilateral dry eye syndrome prior to March 3, 2017 and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral dry eye syndrome with central epithelial corneal scar of the right eye from March 3, 2017 have been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left elbow disability, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and that the current condition is not related to his service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral blepharitis is a distinct and separate disability from her service-connected keratitis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for clarification on the nature of the atrioventricular block diagnosis and its relationship to service. The Veteran's heart disability claim will be reconsidered.

The Board has granted service connection for rectal cancer, finding that it is related to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine the severity of the Veteran's right hand disability, specifically focusing on the degree at which pain begins and any additional functional impairment.