Other conditions decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hand disability is related to service, granting his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized as mild patella enthesopathy with limitation of motion and pain, is granted a 10 percent rating effective March 11, 2013. The issue remains in appellate status due to the maximum evaluation already assigned.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for detached retina, left eye is denied. From June 8, 2021, special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(k) and 38 C.F.R. § 3.350(a)(4) is granted. The Veteran's claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with verifying the appellant's service in the Philippine Commonwealth Army. The appeal is not about service connection, but rather basic eligibility for VA benefits.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right lower extremity disability, specifically whether it is aggravated by her service-connected total left hip replacement.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for defective stereopsis, finding that it was a congenital defect and not subject to service connection.

The Board has found the VA examination opinions to be incomplete and remanded for further clarification. The Veteran claims that his trigeminal neuralgia was caused by dental surgery in 2004, but the VA examiner could not determine if this was due to carelessness or negligence on the part of VA.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a compromised immune system with recurrent Klebsiella infections was denied as the evidence did not support a link to active service, including presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral lower extremity conditions, as they are not related to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the procedural requirements for contested claims have not been met, and thus this matter is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right hip disabilities were denied. The rating decisions granted separate non-compensable ratings for limitation of abduction and extension, and a compensable rating for limitation of flexion.

The overpayment of $4,695.81 for additional compensation benefits for a dependent spouse is granted but the remainder of the overpayment is denied due to the Veteran's fault in reporting dependency changes.

The Board has determined that another remand is necessary to obtain a medical opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's left hip disorder, including whether it is related to service-connected disabilities.

The appeal is dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no jurisdiction remains for the Board to consider the merits.

The Veteran's claims for vitamin deficiency and atrial fibrillation have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the increased disability rating for his service-connected left shoulder strain before a hearing could be held.

The Board found the appellant's discharge under other than honorable conditions was due to an offense involving moral turpitude, which is considered dishonorable. The appeal for VA benefits is denied.

The Veteran's claim for dependent pay for his son C. from June 1, 2013 to September 2, 2015 is granted as the evidence shows that C. was pursuing a course of education beyond his 18th birthday and filed a timely notice of disagreement within one year of his 18th birthday.

The Board has restored service connection for interstitial lung disease and restrictive lung disease, effective June 1, 2018, due to procedural errors in the severance of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting evidence regarding the Veteran's dental condition and a need for further examination. The Veteran will be provided with new dental STRs, an in-person VA examination, and opinions on the nature, severity, and likely etiology of his dental disabilities.