Other conditions decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for left eye PVD, but denied service connection for right eye disability due to lack of evidence linking the condition to diabetes.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for the right index finger, right thumb, and right ring and little fingers, as well as service connection for a left middle finger condition are dismissed due to jurisdictional defects.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for restoration of a total disability rating for individual unemployability (TDIU) since February 1, 2019.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a testicular tumor, finding that the preponderance of the evidence is against his claim and that the May 2020 VA medical advisory opinion provided by a Subject Matter Expert from the Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Project supports this conclusion.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for visual impairment due to residuals of photorefractive keratoplasty was denied as the evidence did not show that her vision had worsened beyond what is already accounted for by her existing service-connected bilateral dry eye syndrome. The TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower gastrointestinal disability, including as secondary to his service-connected conditions. The case is being remanded for additional examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's hypersomnia is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder and alcohol use. The VA must obtain private medical records from Dr. Achaen, conduct a VA examination, and provide an opinion on these issues.

The Board has dismissed the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for bilateral knee scars and an effective date prior to August 5, 2016. The case is remanded for a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Veteran's cause of death due to multiple myeloma is not service-connected, and the veteran did not have active wartime service. Therefore, entitlement to nonservice-connected death pension on behalf of I.J. is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no service connection issues were decided.

The Veteran's right foot condition, which is rated at 10 percent, does not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's case is being remanded due to the expiration of the 12-year delimited period for Chapter 31 benefits and the need for a determination regarding whether an extension is necessary based on a finding of serious employment handicap. The Board has requested that a vocational rehabilitation counselor or counseling psychologist evaluate the Veteran to determine if he has a serious employment handicap, which would affect his eligibility for an extension.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoporosis of the spine, a vascular disease (including PVD, occlusions, ischemia, and fibrosis), and gastroparesis as due to exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune. The decision is based on the appellant's submission of medical literature linking these conditions to her in-service exposure.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for survivors' pension benefits and service connection for the cause of death due to her income exceeding the maximum annual death pension rate.

The Board has partially vacated the August 2021 decision, only to the extent that it denied entitlement to a TDIU prior to July 27, 2010. The case is now remanded for further consideration of this issue.

The appeal for vision loss has been dismissed.,The claims for chronic pelvic inflammatory disease and hysterectomy have been reopened, but the appeals of these issues are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lung condition is related to his active-duty service, specifically due to exposure to Agent Orange. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for colon cancer, as it is related to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's medical records show a diagnosis of metastatic colon cancer with liver metastases and recurrence involving other organs. However, since there are no diseases listed in the regulations that allow for presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure, the Board requires an examination to determine if the condition is related to service.

The Veteran's GERD is rated at 10 percent, and the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating as they do not include dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) or considerable impairment of health.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip conditions due to incomplete medical records and conflicting opinions from the November 2019 VA examiner.