Other conditions decisions — 2023

The Veteran's sleep disorder, including hypersomnia and insomnia, is found to have its onset during active service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Antisocial Personality Disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Depressive Disorder, and Alcohol Use Disorder. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing VA treatment records from Battle Creek and Allen Park VAMCs. The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of vision, related to his type II diabetes mellitus, will be reconsidered.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral foot disabilities, as the previous VA examiner's opinions were inadequate and did not address all theories of entitlement.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for granulomatous ulceration of the left lateral surface of the internal nose was denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of granulomatous rhinitis during the period on appeal, and thus the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and lack of proper medical opinions regarding service connection for PVD. The Veteran's PVD is being examined again, with a focus on whether it is related to his service-connected heart and hypertension disabilities.

The Board determined that the appellant did not have qualifying active military service and therefore is not a veteran for purposes of eligibility for VA benefits.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for recurrent UTI with hypoglycemia was denied. The Board also granted service connection for left ankle strain and fracture residuals as secondary to her service-connected chronic lumbar strain and bilateral knee retropatellar pain syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for essential tremors, finding that the condition did not have its onset during service or be related to service-connected conditions. The evidence showed no clinical relevance of exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Board has found that there was not substantial compliance with the May 2022 Board remand and thus requires further development for retrospective findings to determine the severity of the Veteran's service-connected left thigh disabilities.

The Veteran's other specified trauma and stressor related disorder is granted a 70 percent evaluation, effective from the date of the decision. The Veteran is also granted TDIU.

The Veteran's decreased right thumb flexion status post-surgery is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has denied a higher rating as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or a gap of more than two inches between the thumb pad and fingers with the thumb attempting to oppose them.

The Veteran's rectal fistula was granted a 10 percent rating from March 30, 2014, and a 30 percent rating from May 10, 2018. The Board denied entitlement to a higher rating for the condition as of September 23, 2022.

The Board denied service connection for Crohn's disease based on qualifying service, finding that the evidence did not show a causal relationship between the condition and any period of active duty or training.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death is not due to a service-connected disability, and thus DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 are denied. The case is remanded for further development regarding the Veteran's cholangiocarcinoma.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis and limitation of the hand/thumb, finding that current right-hand disability is not related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service obligation under an ROTC scholarship did not qualify him for Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance benefits due to the exclusion of his four-year obligated period of service.

The Board has remanded the case for consideration of new evidence, including VA examinations and updated CAPRI records from December 2022. The Veteran requested that this matter be returned to the RO for review.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right thumb disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of any current right foot disorder, including whether it is related to service or an in-service injury. The remand also includes determining if the Veteran's right foot disorder was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right knee and left foot disabilities.