Other conditions decisions — 2026

The Veteran's appeal for individual unemployability (TDIU) was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal. No substitute claimant has been approved, and no request for substitution was filed within one year of the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the September 2024 decision denying eligibility for PCAFC benefits is legally inadequate and remanded to obtain a new medical opinion considering all evidence of record.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic cough disability was granted with an effective date of January 1, 2002. This decision is based on the addition of relevant service department records that were not considered in prior decisions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was due to his service-connected adjustment disorder with depressed mood, which contributed substantially or materially to his death. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The appeal for service connection for the Veteran's cause of death is dismissed due to concurrent election.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient notice under VA regulations regarding the creation of an overpayment for PCAFC benefits. The Appellant disputes the validity and creation of the overpayment, which is currently being reviewed by the Agency of Original Jurisdiction.

The Veteran transferred educational benefits to her daughter. The Appellant was informed that she had 0 months and 0 days of educational assistance benefits remaining as of April 23, 2021. As the Appellant did not meet the total yearly cap for educational assistance benefits under Chapter 33, additional educational assistance benefits under the Yellow Ribbon Program were not applicable. The claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to pre-decisional errors and insufficient medical opinions, particularly regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for oropharyngeal and squamous cell carcinoma of the neck. The AOJ is instructed to verify whether the Veteran served at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base in 1972 and obtain a new medical opinion on the nature and etiology of his condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and opinion regarding her left foot onychocryptosis. The Board finds that there are insufficient records available to make an informed decision.

The appeal for payment of non-VA medical services provided on October 28, 2020, was dismissed as the claim was administratively approved by VA.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for hydrocele due to incomplete medical history and inadequate VA examination. The case is being sent back for an addendum opinion from a clinician regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hydrocele.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cardiac disability was granted with an effective date of July 27, 2023. This is the earliest possible date for a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's daughter is not entitled to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits prior to June 21, 2023 due to the eligibility period rules and the fact that she did not file her application within one year of receiving notification of basic eligibility.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for PCAFC benefits, finding that the earliest eligible date was November 23, 2021. The decision is based on the fact that the application and designation of the Primary Family Caregiver (the Veteran's son-in-law) did not occur prior to this date.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the recognition of K., I., and L. as his dependent children for additional disability compensation benefits was denied due to lack of social security numbers provided by the Veteran. The appeals for A. and E. were dismissed as moot because they were already recognized as dependent children.

The Board has restored the Veteran's lichen simplex chronicus rating from 10% to 60%, effective July 1, 2020.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of substance abuse disorder is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his condition was caused by or related to active service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, schizoaffective disorder, and neurocognitive disorder is remanded due to a failure to provide a VA examination addressing whether the pre-existing psychiatric disorder was aggravated during service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and actinic keratosis as the appeal is considered duplicative of a previous decision.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for the claims of right little finger arthritis, right ring finger arthritis, left little finger arthritis, and left ring finger arthritis at a hearing before the Board.