Other conditions decisions — 2025

The Board denied an effective date prior to January 1, 2020 for the grant of benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1822 for a child born with spina bifida due to the specific statutory effective date set by The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019.

The appeal for a compensable disability rating for pleural calcifications has been withdrawn by the Veteran and is therefore dismissed.

The appeal for benefits under the PCAFC is dismissed due to the extension of eligibility for Legacy participants.

The Board granted service connection for right foot gout, finding a link between the Veteran's in-service toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune and his current condition.

The Board granted reimbursement for mileage associated with travel to VA medical appointments on October 17, 2024, October 22, 2024, and October 24, 2024.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for eligibility to enroll in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) due to an inadequate medical opinion and lack of proper notice.

The Board remands the case to obtain additional explanation regarding the Veteran's eligibility for enrollment in the PCAFC, specifically whether he requires personal care services and if participation would be in his best interest.

The Board denied the Veteran's application for eligibility in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) based on her September 2020 application.

The Board remands the case to satisfy pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including an inadequate medical opinion and insufficient notice.

The Board denied service connection for left and right hip sprains due to the lack of evidence showing current disabilities, while remanding claims for right knee pain and tinnitus for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for increased ratings and TDIU, finding that the evidence did not support a rating increase prior to September 22, 2021, or an earlier effective date for TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for polycythemia vera, finding a nexus to in-service herbicide agent exposure.

The appeal of the proposed severance of service connection for urinary frequency is dismissed as it was not a final adjudication.

The Veteran's appeal regarding J.D.D.'s eligibility to an award of attorney fees based on past-due benefits granted in a June 2025 rating decision is denied.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The appeal for an effective date prior to December 29, 2016, for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The appeal of the February 16, 2023, proposal to reduce the disability rating for right hip strain is dismissed. The Board also denied an increased disability rating for right hip strain.

The Board granted a permanent and total rating for Stage IV gastric adenocarcinoma, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board remands the claim for further development, including obtaining a more detailed medical opinion and providing complete notice to the Veteran and their spouse.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bruxism and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder to obtain additional medical opinions regarding their etiology, including whether they are related to exposures during service.