Other conditions decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for hypogeusia (claimed as numbness of the tongue due to dental surgery) is denied because there was no evidence that VA care caused or significantly contributed to the disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for thoracic spine disability and left middle finger injury due to insufficient medical opinions in previous decisions. The claims are being returned for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for a financial hardship waiver to recoup separation pay in the amount of $22,980.32 due to the requirement under federal law that VA compensation benefits be withheld from the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of December 17, 2018, for a 70 percent rating for service-connected unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder (trauma disorder) is granted.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of November 22, 2019, for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Veteran's daughter seeks reimbursement for expenses related to her father's last illness and burial. The Board finds that the August 2020 decision failed to provide requisite information required under 38 U.S.C. § 5104(b) and requires additional development.

The Board has remanded the claim for a VA examination and an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's Grave's disease is related to his in-service exposures, including exposure to various fuels, chemicals, contaminated drinking water, PFAS, PFOS, contaminants, and solvents while working decontaminating personnel and equipment and operating, fueling, maintaining, and cleaning large scale generators.

The Board has found pre-decisional duty to assist errors and requires remand for further development before deciding the appeal on the merits.

The Veteran's status post right thoracotomy with recurrent right pneumothorax did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as his pulmonary function tests did not show FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted or DLCO (SB) of 40- to 55-percent predicted.

The Veteran's pityriasis rosea was granted an initial disability rating of 10 percent prior to August 25, 2020. The condition involved intermittent systemic therapy including corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs for less than 6 weeks over the past 12-month period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right ingrown toenails due to a lack of current disability during the period on appeal.

The appeal for Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits under Chapter 35 is dismissed because the appellant's eligibility was already established and they received full-time benefits.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including failing to obtain relevant private treatment records. The Veteran's heart attack in July 2020 is being reviewed again for service connection.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim of competency as he was found competent in an April 2022 rating decision, and thus there is no longer a matter for appeal.

The Veteran's appeals for payment or reimbursement of ambulance transportation have been dismissed due to their death.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to obtain an examination for housebound status or the permanent need for aid and attendance prior to the rating decision on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of non-VA dental services incurred during the pandemic due to emergency treatment is being remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's loss of use of the left leg is being remanded due to a duty to assist error in June 2020, and the Board cannot determine if it was caused by VA treatment without further medical opinion.

The Board has already decided the issue of an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hand tremors, and this appeal is considered duplicative. As a result, the claim is dismissed.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including unspecified trauma stress related disorder and alcohol use disorder, is currently rated at 70 percent. The Board found that the symptoms do not result in total occupational and social impairment, thus denying an increased rating.

The Board denied the appellant B.F.'s claim for recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse, finding that she and the Veteran were legally divorced prior to his marriage with V.F., thus invalidating her eligibility for VA benefits.