Other conditions decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for metastatic gastric cancer and cause of death due to metastatic gastric cancer, as these issues are intertwined with each other. The claims will be addressed again after obtaining relevant medical records and providing an addendum opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral pes cavus and heel pain due to insufficient explanation in the August 2022 VA examination report regarding the etiology of the Veteran's pes cavus. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's current pes cavus is related to his military service, including wearing undersized boots during basic training.

The Board denied service connection for heart failure, finding no reasonable doubt that the condition is not caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information on how the overpayment was calculated and for a paid and due audit. The validity of the debt must be confirmed, and then the matter of whether a waiver is warranted will be reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence being added to the record, and the Veteran did not respond within the required timeframe. The appeal will be returned to the AOJ for further review.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating prior to March 24, 2020, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter, for a respiratory disability is remanded due to the failure to schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder does not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board denies entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's rectal cancer is related to his service, specifically his exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the Board has dismissed it.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for post-concussion syndrome was denied as the Veteran failed to appear for a scheduled VA examination without good cause.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right lower extremity neurological disorders. The case is being remanded for further examination and medical opinions from a Neurologist.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for neuroendocrine carcinoma, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical opinions and further development is required. The Veteran's claims for service connection of a torn deltoid muscle of the left arm, as secondary to his service-connected left humerus injury, and TDIU prior to June 16, 2008 are being reviewed.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical examination and evaluation regarding the Veteran's claimed chronic gastric disability (stomach disorder). The remand is necessary because the Board found that its previous credibility determination concerning the Veteran's in-service stomach complaints was not supported by independent medical evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral athlete's foot does not meet the criteria for a compensable initial rating, as it affects less than 5% of his entire body or exposed areas and no systemic therapy is required.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability, including his claimed asbestos exposure. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion from a pulmonologist.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for varicose veins of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for deep vein thrombosis of the left leg as due to a service-connected left knee disability, finding that his service-connected left knee disability caused or contributed to his current condition.

The cause of death, cardiac arrest and respiratory distress, is not related to service or any exposure to herbicides. The Veteran did not have a pre-existing heart condition that was aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating over 30 percent for service-connected Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is denied as the NHL had not been in an active disease or treatment phase during the relevant appeal period.