Other conditions decisions — 2026

The Board denied the appellant's appeal as his character of discharge for both periods of service (1967-1969 and 1972-1973) is dishonorable, preventing him from receiving VA benefits. The decision also noted that he was administratively separated due to repeated incidents of misconduct.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for alopecia due to its determination that there is insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's alopecia was aggravated by his service-connected right radical orchiectomy.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection of a groin strain, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for individual unemployability is denied as there was no increase in disability within the one-year grace period prior to May 31, 2023.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating and earlier effective date for Hashimoto's disease has been dismissed as the identical claim was adjudicated in a previous decision.

The Board has granted a survivor's special monthly pension (SMP) as the appellant's income does not exceed the applicable maximum annual pension rate (MAPR).

The Veteran's insomnia disorder, diagnosed after service but linked to her military service due to symptoms during and shortly after service, is granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's eligibility for benefits under VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the October 2025 Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team (CEAT) review. The Board finds that a new medical determination considering all medical information of record is needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for urinary incontinence, back pain, and bilateral foot pain due to potential service connection issues. The AOJ is required to provide a VA examination and obtain an opinion regarding whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's application for PCAFC benefits was denied due to not meeting the criteria for a Level 2 stipend, and an effective date prior to January 28, 2022, for PCAFC benefits was also denied as there is no evidence of need for continuous supervision or instruction on a daily basis.

The Veteran's daughter, who is not considered a child for accrued benefits purposes, has been paid all benefits due but unpaid at the time of his death. The Board denied her claim for additional accrued benefits as there were no remaining accrued amounts to be paid and she was already reimbursed for mortuary expenses.

The Veteran's overpayment of compensation benefits due to removal of a dependent spouse is denied as the recovery would not be against equity and good conscience.

The Veteran's niece is not eligible for DIC benefits or survivors' pension benefits as she does not meet the legal requirements to be considered a child, spouse, or parent of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for malignant neoplasm of the brain is being remanded due to a failure to provide opinions on whether it was related to an in-service event or injury, including a grenade ambush resulting in traumatic brain injury (TBI), and whether it was caused or aggravated by TBI.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right leg amputations, which are claimed to be secondary to service-connected cellulitis. The VA medical opinions provided prior to the decision were not in accordance with the law regarding secondary service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's skin disability and remanded his claims for blurry vision, chest disability, and joint disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for recognition of his spouse M.M. as a dependent, citing that the claim was not filed within one year of their marriage.

The Veteran's cause of death is being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error regarding the appellant's status as a 'helpless child' and his SSA records. The appeal for service connection for the cause of death will be addressed together with the issue of recognition as a helpless child.

The Veteran's cause of death is being remanded for further review, and the appellant's status as a helpless child will also be reviewed. The VA must obtain all relevant SSA records to determine if the appellant qualifies as a helpless child.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for ulcerative colitis, total abdominal colectomy residuals, proctectomy residuals and ileoanal anastomosis is remanded due to the need for a thorough examination.