Other conditions decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim to add her grandchild, C.H., as a dependent for VA compensation purposes is denied because she does not have legal adoption of him. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an adequate VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed loss of teeth. The examiner is requested to provide a clear, understandable, and complete rationale for any opinion rendered or conclusion reached.

The Veteran's cognitive impairment and memory loss, voiding dysfunction, and left lower extremity weakness are all found to be related to his service-connected diabetic stroke. The Veteran is granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left and right knees was found not to meet the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent, as their disabilities do not result in actual or functional flexion limited to 30 degrees; extension limited to 10 degrees; lateral instability or recurrent subluxation; patellar instability; dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint; symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage; ankylosis; impairment of the tibia and fibula; medial tibial stress syndrome or shin splints; or genu recurvatum.

The Veteran's skin cancer is remanded due to a pre-decision duty to assist error. A VA medical opinion is required to determine if the condition is directly linked to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current psychiatric disability, and therefore cannot establish service connection for somatic symptom disorder with depressive and anxious features or other specified trauma or stressor related disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a mood disorder with insomnia is granted, effective September 25, 2020. The Veteran also received an effective date of September 25, 2020, for eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under Chapter 35, Title 38, United States Code.

The Board has remanded the matter of the validity of overpayment for FY 2012 and 2014, which was previously addressed under a different docket number. The Veteran's appeal is now pending again.

Your initial increased ratings for bilateral hallux valgus have been granted at the maximum allowable rating of 10 percent each, effective December 31, 2016. The appeals are dismissed as your claim has been fully satisfied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder and chronic lymphocytic leukemia were denied as there is no competent evidence of herbicide exposure during service.

Your appeal has been dismissed because your claim for payment of medical services provided on December 15, 2020, was administratively approved by VA.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their passing away during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of non-VA emergency transport costs is granted as the ambulance service was provided in an emergency setting and met all eligibility criteria.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for emphysema as secondary to his service-connected sinusitis is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's emphysema.

The Board has granted service connection for muscle injury group XIX abdominal wash with a 10% evaluation, effective July 27, 2020. The Veteran's claim is not entitled to an earlier effective date as the earliest documented evidence of this condition was in August 3, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for a TDIU and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits are granted with an effective date of March 19, 2019.

The appeal is denied as there was no VA authorization for the non-VA medical services provided on January 4, 2021.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the addition of his spouse to his VA disability compensation award is denied due to lack of extension request and failure to meet statutory requirements.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for stroke residuals and entitlement to a TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish an in-service injury or disease related to the stroke, and there was no probative medical nexus linking the current disability to service.