Other conditions decisions — 2025

The Board remands the service connection claim for back pain to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including obtaining a new medical opinion and missing service treatment records.

The appeal regarding the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for hypertension has been withdrawn and is dismissed.

The appellant's character of discharge from service, which was under other than honorable conditions due to willful and persistent misconduct, constitutes a bar to the receipt of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, exclusive of health care benefits under Chapter 17.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for encephalopathy with brain lesions and Graves' disease due to missing service treatment records, unclear exposure information, and the need for additional evidence.

The appeal for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment of educational assistance benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill was granted as it would be against equity and good conscience to require the Veteran to repay the debt.

The appeal concerning eligibility for the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA's) Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is denied due to the death of the Veteran and the failure to meet the application requirements.

The appeal concerning the proposed rating reduction for colon cancer was dismissed as it does not constitute an appealable VA decision.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) due to inextricably intertwined claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in a sufficient level of impairment that he requires the regular aid and attendance of another person, thus granting special monthly compensation.

The Board remands the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) because the AOJ did not properly follow its claims development procedures.

The Board granted service connection for NAFLD/NASH, finding that the Veteran's liver disease began during active service and has continued since then.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of April 5, 2012 for service connection for vasectomy residuals and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on loss of use of a creative organ. The claim for an initial compensable rating was remanded.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal seeking eligibility for authorization for service connected infertility ART and IVF services.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, which was determined to be pancreatic cancer, based on exposure to an herbicide agent during active duty in Vietnam.

The Board denied the Veteran's eligibility for benefits under the PCAFC program as he was found to be independent in all activities of daily living and did not require supervision, protection, or instruction.

The appellant is eligible for the direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded from a February 2024 rating decision that assigned an increased disability rating for the Veteran's right lower extremity sciatica.

The appeal seeking payment or reimbursement for the cost of medical services performed on May 9, 2020, has been approved and is now dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's eligibility for benefits under the PCAFC program as he was found to be independent in all activities of daily living and did not require supervision, protection, or instruction.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities cumulatively precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational attainment and occupational history during the period on review, thus granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board granted the Veteran's appeal for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment of VA compensation benefits, finding that recovery would create undue financial hardship.