Other conditions decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for a sinus disability, including chronic nasal congestion/obstruction due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error and requires an adequate medical decision regarding the Veteran's eligibility for enrollment in VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC).

The appeal for payment of non-VA care provided at Baptist Hospital on January 2, 2019 is dismissed as Benefit Recovery did not submit a proper VA Form 10182 and was not considered a claimant.

The Board has determined that the AOJ did not provide a VA examination or medical opinion for the Veteran's cutaneous T-cell lymphoma disability, which is required due to the low threshold being triggered. The claim is therefore remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's initial rating for his service-connected right hand tremor was denied, and the Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence in the AOJ decision.

The Veteran's ulcerative colitis is related to his active service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's death was recognized within one year of the initial report, and the effective date for the award of DIC benefits is set at October 1, 2017, the first day of the month of the Veteran's death. The appellant's claim for accrued benefits included a claim for DIC.

The Veteran's fatty liver disease was granted a 20 percent rating from April 27, 2018 to May 14, 2020. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms of daily fatigue, malaise, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and upper quadrant pain warranted this rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for compensable ratings for his status post left and right anterior tibialis fasciotomies, finding that the evidence did not more closely approximate a moderate muscle injury.

The Veteran's death was due to service-connected cause, specifically his metastatic pancreatic cancer which is presumed to be related to burn pit exposure in the Persian Gulf. The claim for service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Board has granted secondary service connection for the Veteran's residuals of a stroke, finding that it is related to his service-connected hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer, including as due to toxic exposure, requires further development and remand. Specifically, a dose estimate is needed based on the Veteran's in-service military duties, and an addendum opinion must be obtained regarding the etiology of his claimed colon cancer.

The Board denied service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder other than chronic constipation, abdominal pain, and hematochezia because the evidence did not support finding any other gastrointestinal disorder during or related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including clarification of the Veteran's employment history and readjudication of his claims. The initial rating claim for adjustment disorder prior to July 2, 2024 remains in appellate status.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right leg nerve disabilities due to inadequate examination opinions. The VA must provide a new opinion addressing whether these conditions are related to service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of stroke have been granted, including paresthesias of the bilateral upper extremities and facial numbness/weakness/droop. A separate 10 percent rating has also been granted for chronic constipation as a residual of stroke. The disability ratings for the periods from January 14, 2015 to July 14, 2015 and from January 20, 2016 to July 20, 2016 have also been granted.

The Veteran's right hip and left hip conditions have been granted increased ratings, while his knee instability and radiculopathy claims were denied. The decision is mixed as some issues are granted and others are not.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for leukemia, finding that his exposure to radiation during Operation Sandstone qualifies him as a presumptive radiation-exposed veteran and thus meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's cause of death, hypertensive cardiovascular disease, was not service connected as it did not have its onset during service and is not otherwise related to his periods of active duty. The Board found no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicide agents.

The overpayment of $1,313.50 due to the removal of dependent child A.F. is not valid and thus the appeal for this issue is granted.