Other conditions decisions — 2023

The Veteran and the appellant were divorced prior to the Veteran's death, thus the appellant cannot be recognized as his surviving spouse for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claim for additional VA educational assistance benefits under Chapter 30 and/or Chapter 33 is remanded due to the need for further development of his service records, including those from his period of active-duty service in September 2009. The record also needs to be updated with any notice letters or documents related to the transfer of his remaining MGIB benefits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service, specifically at Camp Khon Kaen in Thailand. The VA examiner concluded that the peripheral arterial disease is related to this exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection for peripheral arterial disease is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of nexus opinion addressing whether the Veteran's systemic lupus erythematosus is related to her presumed toxic exposure risk activities during her service in Saudi Arabia.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of the appellant's father's Air Force service and incomplete records from the Social Security Administration. The AOJ is instructed to request additional information and verify the appellant's father's service, as well as consider further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case for an addendum opinion by an orthopedic specialist to address the etiology of the Veteran's left elbow tendonitis and its relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma and its relation to Agent Orange exposure. The case is also being remanded for obtaining any outstanding VA records and scheduling a physical examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's liver disability is related to his service, but has remanded for additional development regarding his temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder is not related to service or his service-connected disabilities, and thus, denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for his service-connected unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder with alcohol use disorder was denied. The case was remanded for additional development.,Entitlement to service connection for right elbow lateral epicondylitis and left elbow condition is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral vision disability and its relationship to service-connected PTSD. The claim will be returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding service connection for colon cancer, which is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during active service in Vietnam. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again with a new medical examination and consideration of relevant literature.

The Veteran's service-connected right femur and hip disorders are being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his conditions, as his symptoms have worsened since the last examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's diagnoses and etiology of any diagnosed conditions, specifically his shoulder, hand, wrist, and knee disabilities. The VA examinations were not provided with the necessary information about the Veteran's periods of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for histoplasmosis of the lung was previously denied in May 1972 due to a pre-existing condition. The Board has now reopened the claim based on new evidence showing a current disability and an opinion linking it to service, but further examination is needed.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected right-hand disability, effective May 2016. The decision also found that there is no evidence of an exceptional or unusual disability picture warranting extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's decubitus ulcer and right ischial tear were not caused by VA negligence, as pressure ulcer protocols were routinely implemented. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right foot condition and skin rash were denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,The claim for TDIU was also denied as the Veteran's combined rating is less than the required threshold.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's multiple myeloma, claimed as bone cancer, is causally related to exposure to industrial solvents in service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected ear infections with bilateral perforated tympanic membrane and eustachian tube dysfunction was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating, as there is no active suppuration or aural polyps to warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 6200. His claim for obesity and service connection for ear pain were also denied.