Other conditions decisions — 2023

The Veteran's right hip strain, based on limitation of flexion, is granted with a rating of 30 percent effective May 26, 2013. The Veteran's right thigh impairment due to right hip strain is granted with a rating of 20 percent effective May 26, 2013.

The Board has decided the appeal is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion regarding service connection for TMD. The Veteran's condition must be re-evaluated and a new medical opinion provided.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and medical opinions to determine if the Veteran's bladder and urinary disorder, as well as her abdominal disorder, clearly and unmistakably preexisted service or were caused by any in-service event, injury, disease, or disorder.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of stress fractures in either leg, and thus the Veteran's claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for involuntary bowel and involuntary urination, which are secondary neurological complications of his service-connected spine disability, is being remanded due to concerns about the competence of a VA examiner who provided recent examination reports.

The Veteran's right foot numbness is being remanded for additional development as the full consent document for her spine surgery needs to be obtained.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to July 17, 2014.

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

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records, specifically a full copy of the informed consent for the May 2011 left long finger trigger release procedure. The Veteran's claim is being returned for further action.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and its relation to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his L4-L5 disc bulge with spinal stenosis due to inconsistencies in the previous VA examination report and the need for a new one.

The Board has dismissed the issues of overpayment debt of VA educational dependency benefits due to removal of dependent children M.A. and S.A.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examinations and the need for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for entitlement to service connection for the Veteran's cause of death and accrued benefits due to the deaths of both the Veteran and his surviving spouse.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse, finding that their marriage was not legally valid and they did not cohabit continuously from the date of marriage until the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for joint swelling and skin hypopigmentation due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for alopecia was denied, and the right knee/leg disability claim is remanded due to lack of compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's right thumb disability has been rated at 10 percent since June 25, 2015. The Board denied an increased rating for this condition.,For the period from June 25, 2015 to March 20, 2022, the Veteran's right foot strain was rated at 10 percent and left foot strain at 10 percent. Both were found not warranting a higher initial rating during this period.,Starting from March 21, 2022, the Veteran's right foot strain has been rated at 20 percent and his left foot strain at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for iliotibial band syndrome of the left hip prior to January 7, 2021, and a rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter, as well as for impairment of the thigh, left hip iliotibial band syndrome, and limitation of flexion, left hip. The remand is due to incomplete examination reports and the need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's request for an increased rating and earlier effective date for the 50 percent rating for adjustment disorder is being remanded due to lack of evidence showing entitlement prior to February 17, 2017.