Other conditions decisions — 2026

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of December 1, 1965 for the Veteran's award of service connection for diplopia. The decision is based on the fact that the Veteran filed a claim within one year of his discharge from active duty and the condition was noted in his service records.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal, and the Board dismissed it.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current disability of chronic ear infections and denied service connection for this condition. The Board also found that there is insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran's orthostatic hypotension is related to his military service, thus remanding the case for further examination.

The Veteran's disability rating for adjustment disorder with depressed mood was restored to 50 percent effective September 21, 2020.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of travel expenses to a VA-authorized community care appointment on October 7, 2024 is granted as he met the eligibility criteria and provided sufficient evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity Morton's neuroma conditions are rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, and there is no evidence of associated peripheral nerve disability that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's bruxism, a condition that developed in service and worsened due to his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), is now granted as service connected. The rating for the TMJ has also been increased from 20% to 30%. Service connection for cracked and fractured teeth remains denied.

The appeal concerning whether the Veteran's spouse remained as the Primary Family Caregiver was dismissed because the appellants withdrew their appeal prior to a hearing.

The Veteran's appeal, which was filed with a blank VA Form 10182, is dismissed because the Board cannot adjudicate it and there are no decisions yet rendered on her waiver claim.

The Board found that the withholding of VA compensation benefits to recoup separation pay in the amount of $8,866.00 was proper and denied the appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's basal cell carcinoma is at least as likely as not caused by sun exposure during his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal for benefits under VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is dismissed because the eligibility criteria have been reassessed and extended through September 2028.

The Board has granted service connection for loss of sphincter control as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer. The evidence is at least in equipoise that this condition was caused by his treatment for prostate cancer.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error regarding the recoupment of disability severance pay. The AOJ needs to clarify when the Veteran's disability severance pay was fully recovered and perform a paid and due audit.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a sinus disability due to inadequate examination and conflicting toxic exposure records. The AOJ is required to verify the Veteran's exposure to toxins during service and schedule an appropriate examiner to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed sinus disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for pelvic congestion syndrome with adenomyosis status post hysterectomy and female sexual arousal disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and her military service.

The Board denied eligibility for enrollment in the PCAFC based on a January 2024 application, finding that the Veteran is not in need of personal care services due to an inability to perform ADLs or because he is in need of supervision or protection.

The appeal is dismissed as the Veteran's October 5, 2025, Board Appeal request was a prohibited concurrent election.

The Veteran's death prevented the approval of their PCAFC application, as all requirements for eligibility had not been met at his death.

The Board has determined that the VHA's decision denying eligibility for PCAFC was based on invalid legal criteria and remanded to review the Veteran's need for personal care services under the correct eligibility criteria.