Other conditions decisions — 2023

The Veteran's child does not qualify for benefits because the mother is not a Vietnam Veteran and the condition is spina bifida occulta, which does not meet the criteria.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the remand requests and has therefore remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records prior to 2010 and scheduling a VA eye examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) considering new service personnel records. The Veteran's claim for VA loan guaranty benefits is now pending again.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and service connection, as well as his claim for a TDIU due to inadequate medical opinions provided by VA. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board dismissed the claim for a month-of-death payment (survivor's pension) as the Appellant is not eligible due to her status as an adult daughter of the Veteran and his widow, rather than a surviving spouse. The appeal was dismissed because the VA Regional Office did not file the claim in a timely manner.

The Board dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates for disability compensation based on the Veteran's spouse and child due to a withdrawal request.

The Veteran's child does not have spina bifida, and the mother is not a Vietnam Veteran. Therefore, benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805 and § 1815 are denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for constrictive pericarditis is granted due to presumed exposure to ionizing radiation during his service at Thule Air Force Base and Johnson Atoll.

The Board denied service connection for gunshot wound, left side, above the groin and nerve damage as secondary to that condition due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a new VA examination to determine if any back disabilities are related to service. The examiner is instructed not to reject the veracity of the Veteran's statements based on the absence of corroborating evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for skin condition disability due to exposure to an herbicide agent is being remanded as new and material evidence has been received, but a VA examination was not conducted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of transient ischemic attacks, finding that there is no competent evidence to establish a relationship between the condition and active service or any event, injury, disease, or exposure during service.

The Board has granted service connection for anomic aphasia and memory loss, finding that the etiology is inconclusive and not partially understood. The left ulnar nerve disability claim is remanded due to inadequate opinion regarding aggravation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for vitiligo, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his active service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for Hodgkin's disease, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his military service at Udorn, Thailand. The disease is presumed related to this exposure.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for left hip limitation of extension and flexion have been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's income for the period from February 1, 2008 through May 2015. The Veteran is asked to provide evidence of any unreimbursed medical expenses and corroborating evidence that he did not receive reported Social Security or other income.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma as the Veteran died before a decision could be made.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete examination reports. The Veteran's respiratory disability is being examined by a medical doctor who has not previously examined him, and his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 1, 2016, is also being evaluated.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the cause of death and its relation to service-connected disabilities.