Other conditions decisions — 2023

The Veteran's unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder is found to be related to his military service, leading to a grant of service connection.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right lower extremity disability, finding that new and material evidence supports his claim. The Board also found in favor of the Veteran on his claim for new and material evidence regarding his right lower extremity disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for MDD as secondary to numbness and loss of use of the left hand and fingers, and for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for numbness in the left arm were denied.,Service connection for numbness and loss of use of the left hand and fingers was not granted due to lack of additional disability caused by VA carelessness or negligence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his back disability, right and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board has not determined if Bennett College is an approved educational institution for VA purposes, and thus the case must be remanded to make this determination.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion and a need for further development of evidence regarding whether the Veteran's hysterectomy residuals, including abdominal adhesions, caused or materially contributed to her death.

The Board has determined that the claims file is incomplete and requires additional documents to be associated with the record. The Veteran's claim for accrued benefits was not complete due to missing documents, including notifications of denial, effective date correspondence, and development letters.

The Board has determined that the appeal for apportionment of the Veteran's VA compensation benefits prior to August 17, 2015 is not ripe for appellate review due to procedural issues. The appellant reached the age of 18 and received Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits effective August 17, 2015, which barred him from receiving apportionment.

The Board has remanded the claims for esophageal cancer, metastatic liver cancer, metastatic lymph node cancer, and the cause of the Veteran's death due to insufficient reasons provided in the original decision. The case is now pending with a request for an addendum VA medical opinion regarding whether the esophageal cancer was related to service, including presumed exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied a claim for an initial compensable rating for residuals of a flexor digitorum laceration to the right fifth finger, finding that the disability is limited to this digit alone with some weakness and limited ROM but no evidence of current pain or functional loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's encephalomyelitis is at least as likely as not related to his active military service, including receiving multiple vaccinations in preparation for possible deployment. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a waiver of overpayment of VA compensation and pension benefits, including the challenge to the validity of the debt, is being remanded due to procedural issues. The case will be returned to the Board for issuance of an SOC.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left and right foot conditions, finding that his bilateral foot pain began during active service and is related to his military service.

The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is granted service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam, as provided by the PACT Act. The other claims for increased evaluations or disability ratings are denied.,The cause of death (squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck) is also granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for osteomyelitis of the left ischium, as a result of VA treatment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's follicular lymphoma and its relation to in-service exposure to commercial herbicides.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to inadequate development of her medical records, including VA treatment records from her active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence linking the Veteran's breast cancer to her service at Camp Lejeune, and a new examination is required.

The Board has granted service connection for a sinus disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition began during her active duty service and is related to an in-service injury.

The Board has found that the VA examination did not address whether the Veteran had a current bilateral hand disability and if it was related to his active-duty service, including from inservice cold exposure. The Board is therefore remanding for further development.