Other conditions decisions — 2023

The Board has awarded service connection for a digestive condition, diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which renders the claim of entitlement to service connection for chronic diarrhea with hematochezia moot.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is related to his in-service exposure to ionizing radiation, and thus service connection is granted.

The appeal for payment or reimbursement of non-VA medical services provided to the Veteran on December 2, 2019, by Aegis Sciences Corporation is dismissed as it is a duplicate appeal that has been addressed in a separate case.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal regarding the removal of his spouse M.K. from additional dependency benefits and the addition of his new spouse L.K., as both claims were not timely filed.

The Veteran is granted a rating of 10% for limitation of extension of the left hip as of June 19, 2018. The effective date for this award is also set at June 19, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for basal cell carcinoma on the back was denied as there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service, and her lay testimony regarding exposure to sunlight during deployment could not establish a causal relationship with her current diagnosis.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal as the reduction in VA disability compensation due to concurrent receipt of military service drill pay for FYs 2011, 2012, and 2013 was proper. The termination of VA compensation during the Veteran's period of active duty from July 25, 2014, to February 22, 2016, was also deemed proper.

The Veteran's left hip disability is currently rated at 10 percent for limitation of extension and limitation of abduction, with a separate 10 percent rating for limitation of flexion. The claim for a higher rating based on limitation of flexion was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing documentation and unavailability of certain records. The AOJ is instructed to reconstruct the record and upload all relevant documents.

The Veteran's claim for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits was denied in March 2020, but the appeal is dismissed as the claim has since been approved and he has received the benefits.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant requested to withdraw her appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and therefore he did not meet the criteria for burial benefits. The claim is denied.

The Veteran's application for PCAFC benefits was denied due to the lack of a Social Security number provided by the Primary Family Caregiver-applicant. The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and adjudication.

The appeal is dismissed as moot because the Appellant's character of discharge has been upgraded to General (under honorable conditions), removing any bar to VA benefits.

Service connection is granted for a mental health condition.,Service connection is granted for a neck condition.,Service connection is denied for a head condition.

The Board has determined that the validity of the overpayment created due to the transfer of educational assistance benefits needs further investigation and clarification. The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining records related to the Veteran's discharge from service and contacting DoD regarding the circumstances of his retirement.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for an effective date prior to May 21, 2020 for the grant of service connection for peripheral vascular disease with dermatophytosis and onychogryphosis of both lower extremities. The decision found that there was no pending claim for increased rating related to diabetes, which is necessary for a valid claim for an effective date prior to May 21, 2020.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a waiver of the recoupment of her overpayment in $22,462.10 due to various factors including the balance-of-fault element, unjust-enrichment, reliance, and financial-hardship elements.

The Veteran's service-connected dysphagia is rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 7203. The disability is characterized by difficulty swallowing and choking on certain foods but does not necessitate a diet restricted to liquids only.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of non-VA ambulance transportation provided on July 28, 2019 was dismissed as the VHA overturned its initial denial and approved the expenses.