Other conditions decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that the Veteran's periods of active duty need to be confirmed, and a medical opinion is needed regarding whether his ulcerative colitis was aggravated by military service or exposure to Gulf War toxins.

The Veteran's request for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at Parkview Medical Center on September 15, 2016 is denied as he did not receive health care provided or authorized by VA within the 24-month period preceding this treatment.

The Veteran's right knee instability and migraine headaches were denied, while a separate 10 percent rating was granted for right knee instability from April 4, 2018.

The appeal was dismissed due to the appellant's death, and no final decision can be made.

The Board has granted initial 10 percent ratings for right and left foot corns and callouses, but not higher. The evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's symptoms more nearly approximate moderate residuals of a foot injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left foot conditions are related to his military service, granting the claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the overpayment of $5,343.96 is valid and must be denied as disputed by the Veteran. The claim for a waiver of recovery of this overpayment is remanded due to changes in the Veteran's financial situation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and evaluation of his service-connected right shoulder disability, including a determination on the appropriate ratings for residuals of fracture, right scapula and malunion or nonunion of the clavicle or scapula.

The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected peptic ulcer, finding that his symptoms have been manifested by moderately severe symptoms including anemia and weight loss. The decision is based on evidence of persistent stomach pain, unexplained weight fluctuations, nausea/vomiting, and rectal bleeding.

The Veteran's sinus bradycardia did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as it did not manifest as paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or other supraventricular tachycardia with more than four episodes per year documented by ECG or Holter monitor, nor did it require five or more treatment interventions per year. The Veteran's sinus bradycardia is rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition, finding that there was no evidence to support direct service connection and noting that the Veteran's asthma and COPD were not caused by or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for toxemia during pregnancy, death of an infant, stillbirth of an infant, or sterilization/tubal ligation have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received. The claim for PTSD was granted with a 50% rating effective February 1, 2013, but the Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for a left upper extremity neurologic disability and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities because additional development is needed, including updated examination.

The Board has determined that the most recent medical opinion is inadequate and requires further examination to determine if the Veteran's right knee condition was caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee condition.

The Board has decided the propriety of withholding a $1,847.74 lump-sum retroactive award for application to a Department of Veterans Affairs overpayment of compensation benefits and remanded the issue of entitlement to a waiver of recovery of an overpayment of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation benefits in the amount of $13,077.03.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right hand disability, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and service. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have any in-service injury or disease resulting in his right hand disability.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right foot hallux valgus have been rated as noncompensable since April 17, 2014. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a compensable rating for either condition.,Service connection has also been denied for temporomandibular joint dysfunction and bruxism, lumbar spine disability, and gastroenteritis.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and requests for a supplemental medical opinion regarding the Veteran's left hip disorders.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to concerns about the sufficiency of the medical opinions provided, particularly regarding whether his stroke was caused or aggravated by his service-connected chronic rhinosinusitis.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric condition should be remanded due to procedural issues related to the notification and response process.