Other conditions decisions — 2024

The Veteran's surviving spouse is recognized for the purposes of receiving VA survivor's pension benefits.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and a potential issue with timely filing of the claim for payment or reimbursement of non-VA emergency medical services provided by Dearborn County Hospital on June 5, 2020. The Veteran's service connection theory is unknown as it does not involve any claims related to service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including MDD and GAD, is granted. The claim for secondary service connection for sleep disturbances due to his service-connected acquired psychiatric condition is also granted.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of old myocardial infarction and granted a 30 percent rating for gallbladder removal with severe symptoms, effective June 25, 2018. The earlier effective date for sleep apnea and gallbladder disorder was granted as March 25, 2018.

The appeal for payment of non-VA medical services provided on December 8, 2020 is dismissed because the billing company did not provide the underlying services and is not considered a proper claimant.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities were awarded with an effective date of September 1, 2020. Payment could not begin until October 1, 2020 due to legal requirements. The appeal is denied as the Veteran cannot receive compensation for the month of September 2020.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sickle cell trait and fainting spells as secondary to sickle cell trait due to a lack of objective medical evidence showing any disability or symptoms related to these conditions.

The Veteran's bladder disability is being remanded for further review due to new evidence submitted after the March 2020 denial. The Board finds that there is competent evidence of a potential relationship between the Veteran's bladder disability and service, but an additional medical opinion is needed.

The appeal seeking payment for home health services provided to the Veteran from April 14, 2020, to April 17, 2020, is dismissed as it falls under a dispute process governed by VCA procedures that does not allow for Board review.

The Veteran's appeal for individual unemployability has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands the matter for corrective action, including obtaining additional information regarding the appellant's employment since age 18.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma is related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. As such, the claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma is denied.

The Board has dismissed the appeal because the dispute regarding the contractual payment rate for home health services provided by MGHAL is subject to a specific administrative dispute resolution process under VCA, which does not allow for appellate review.

The Board has determined that a new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's sinus tachycardia began during active service or is otherwise related to an incident of service.

The Board has granted a 60 percent disability rating for the service-connected pulmonary embolism, but has remanded to determine if residuals warrant a separate compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 7, 2010 for service connection of somatic symptom disorder with secondary polysubstance use disorder was denied. The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his service-connected psychiatric disability was granted at 70%. The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability due to service connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine whether there is any disfigurement associated with the Veteran's service-connected goiter, specifically addressing her assertion that it is more visible when she speaks.

The Veteran's service-connected narcolepsy is rated at 10 percent, and the Board found no evidence of major or minor seizures to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the appellant requested withdrawal of all claims for disability compensation.

The Veteran's request for an extension of the period to file a Notice of Disagreement as to a May 19, 2022 decision on entitlement to waiver of indebtedness was denied. The appeal as to this issue is dismissed.