Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of a breast reduction surgery and bilateral flatfoot are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to potential administrative error in creating the overpayment, and will consider a new statute regarding delay in processing.

The Veteran's cause of death, respiratory failure due to congestive heart failure, is not service-connected. His right hand disability and TDIU claims are also denied.

The Board dismissed the appeal as the underlying case or controversy has been resolved and the appellant was paid for COVID-19 testing services.

The appeal is denied as there was no VA authorization for the non-VA medical services provided on January 20, 2021.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left lower extremity nerve disability, finding that there is no evidence of such a condition in service or due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy is dismissed as a freestanding claim.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for recurrent gynecological infections is being remanded due to the need to obtain missing VA and non-VA medical records, as well as to provide the Veteran with a new VA examination.

The Board has granted readjudication of the claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, but has also remanded it to allow the VA RO to consider new evidence and make its own determination.

The Veteran's claim for beneficiary travel payment for ambulance transportation expenses incurred on October 17, 2023 was denied due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ is required to obtain and associate relevant records including the original claim for reimbursement of the ambulance transportation expenses, VA clinical records from the Roane County VA CBOC, medical records from the Roane County Hospital ER, and the September 12, 2024 HLR decision. The AOJ should also consider whether the Veteran meets the criteria for payment or reimbursement under 38 U.S.C. § 1725.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the addition of the Veteran's spouse to his VA compensation award as a dependent, finding that the earliest possible effective date is December 1, 2021.

The appeal concerning the effective date for TDIU due to CUE in an October 2017 rating decision has been dismissed as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Board dismissed the appeal seeking payment or reimbursement for medical services provided on December 17, 2019 by a non-VA provider within the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP). The decision states that the process for billing under VCCP does not allow for review by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error in not obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether there is a relationship between the Veteran's cause of death, metabolic encephalopathy, and his in-service history of abnormal glucose level or diabetes.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and no new rating or effective date is assigned.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 19, 2016, for the award of service connection for chronic constipation was granted. The appeal regarding a higher initial rating for chronic constipation is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to obtain a TERA opinion regarding the Veteran's mild obstructive abnormality, which may be related to his participation in burn pit exposures during service.

The Veteran's application for additional educational assistance benefits under the STEM scholarship was denied because he did not meet the eligibility criteria, including being enrolled in a program of education leading to an undergraduate degree or teaching certification.

The Board has determined that there is a duty to assist error in the decision and requires an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for cause of death in the line of duty due to a lack of relevant personnel records, particularly any line of duty determination from the Veteran's New Jersey State Command.