Other conditions decisions — 2026

The Veteran's bilateral shin splints are rated at a 10 percent rating, effective September 24, 2020. Service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Veteran's current spouse was added to his award effective June 1, 2024. The claim for an earlier effective date is granted.,The school-aged child was added to the Veteran's award effective May 1, 2024 and August 1, 2024. The claim for an earlier effective date is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for VR&E services was denied because he did not appear for the scheduled evaluations and failed to request a rescheduling. The Board found that his failure to cooperate with VA staff in carrying out the initial evaluation led to the discontinuation of his case.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of ambulance transportation provided on August 2, 2022 is being remanded due to a pre-decisional error in failing to consider whether the transportation could have been made under 38 U.S.C. § 1725.

The Board has determined that the discontinuance of VR&E services was improper due to a lack of reasonable attempts to discuss and resolve issues with the Veteran, leading to an unsuccessful interruption period. As a result, VR&E services are restored.

The Board has granted a dependency award for the Veteran's child, J.F., as a 'helpless child' and this decision is final.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and SMC are remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The Board finds the existing medical opinions insufficient and requires a new addendum opinion from a qualified clinician.

The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remanded the case for an initial evaluation of the Veteran's employment handicap.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder has been dismissed due to the withdrawal of the appeal by the Veteran's authorized representative.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hip disorder, finding that it resulted from an injury incurred during active military service.

The appeal to terminate apportionment of the Veteran's disability compensation on behalf of the parties' children was dismissed due to non-compliance with claims processing rules.

The Veteran's attorney representative withdrew the appeal for attorney fees in connection with past-due benefits awarded from a June 2024 rating decision.

The Veteran's surviving spouse, the appellant, was not recognized as his valid spouse for VA benefits purposes due to their marriage being less than a year prior to the Veteran's death. The Board found that the evidence did not support her claim of a legally valid common law marriage.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of pancreatitis is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of permanent and total disability, loss of use of extremities, or other qualifying conditions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's freestanding claim for an earlier effective date for adding his former spouse as a dependent to his VA disability award. The decision is based on the finality of previous decisions and the prohibition against collaterally attacking prior final decisions.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the AOJ has already awarded service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, and the effective date is based on the April 2021 DIC claim.

The Veteran's application for educational assistance under the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship program was denied because he did not meet the eligibility criteria, specifically being enrolled in an undergraduate STEM program or a clinical training program for health care professionals that is not part of a graduate degree program.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new regulations regarding character of discharge, and the AOJ should review this issue under the amended regulation.

The Board dismissed the appeal of the appellant's entitlement to attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a June 2022 rating decision, as the appellant waived her entitlement and no other party could charge fees for this award.