Other conditions decisions — 2024

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID) and has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the condition was incurred during active duty due to environmental exposures. The Veteran's current disability, in-service incurrence, and causal nexus have been established.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left eye dry eye syndrome, finding that his symptoms began in and have continued since service following PRK surgery.

The Veteran is granted an earlier effective date of March 21, 2014 for a 100 percent rating for Congestive Heart Failure with mitral valve regurgitation and for SMC based on housebound criteria.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at a 20 percent rating effective August 25, 2017. The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to October 30, 2019.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal, and the Board dismissed it.

The Board has decided that the notification of the decision was legally inadequate and there is a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The case is being remanded for an adequate medical decision regarding eligibility for PCAFC benefits.

The Veteran's death was due to esophageal cancer, but there is no evidence of a pending claim for service connection at the time of his death. The Board denies accrued benefits as there was no valid claim for which the appellant could have prevailed.

The Board denied the apportionment claim as neither a general nor special apportionment is warranted due to the Veteran providing support for J.I. and the Appellant not demonstrating financial hardship.

The Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits is being remanded due to inadequate notice in the initial decision, and the need for supervision, protection, or instruction must be evaluated under the correct statutory criteria.

The appellant has withdrawn her appeals regarding aid and attendance or housebound benefits, as well as service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The appeal for payment or reimbursement of non-VA medical services on August 17, 2020 is dismissed as the episode of care was approved and payment issued.

The Board denied the request for an earlier effective date for DIC benefits because the claim was received on October 7, 2020, which is considered the effective date.

The Veteran's cause of death is not service-connected, and the surviving spouse does not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1310 or § 1318.

The Veteran's appeal for a 100% rating for post-myocardial infarction convalescence was denied as the October 2020 correspondence did not meet the one-year deadline to file an NOD with respect to the December 2018 rating decision.

The Veteran's furuncle disability rating was reduced from 30 percent to 0 percent effective July 28, 2020. The Board has determined that this reduction was not proper and restored the original 30 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for a waiver of overpayment of VA compensation benefits, finding that the debt was properly created due to the Veteran's failure to notify VA of his incarceration. The Board also found no evidence of fraud or bad faith on the part of the Veteran and determined that recovery would not be against equity and good conscience.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and the Appellant is denied additional nonservice-connected burial benefits and reimbursement for transportation expenses.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for further evidence. The Veteran/Appellant is seeking payment or reimbursement for non-VA medical services provided from November 5, 2020, to November 18, 2020.

The Veteran's CLL is rated as noncompensable, his anemia remains at a 10 percent rating, and he has been granted a noncompensable rating for thrombocytopenia. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings for any of these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for payment or reimbursement of non-VA medical services provided by Aegis Sciences Corporation on September 3, August 5, and July 29, 2020 as these claims have been resolved administratively.