Other conditions Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for flatfoot in both the right and left lower extremities due to a lack of evidence linking the condition to military service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for neck strain and back strain disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. A new VA examination is needed to address the relationship between the Veteran's current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for a waiver of overpayment of VA pension benefits was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU are being remanded due to errors in the implementation of prior decisions. The case will be reviewed again, with an addendum opinion requested regarding the nature and severity of his service-connected heart disability.

The Veteran's left trigeminal nerve neuralgia disability is currently rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 8405, which addresses neuralgia of the fifth (trigeminal) cranial nerve. The Board finds that from January 19, 2012, to January 27, 2016, the Veteran's left trigeminal nerve neuralgia caused pain, stiffness, dislocation, labored movements, paresthesias, and dysesthesias, which more nearly approximates the criteria for a 30 percent disability evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's urinary symptoms are related to his service. The appeal is currently on hold until this is completed.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an opinion on whether the Veteran's pre-cancerous colon polyps were caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's eye disabilities, specifically his cataracts and hypertensive retinopathy.

The Board has determined that the claim is remanded due to missing procedural documents and a need for a medical opinion regarding the date of transfer from North Bay Hospital. The Veteran's condition was deemed emergent at the time of admission.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of evidence regarding the etiology and nature of the Veteran's bilateral foot disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to ambiguities in the Veteran's hearing testimony regarding his symptoms and the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic adjustment disorder is granted a 70 percent rating, effective from September 21, 2010, through May 7, 2019. The appeal for an increased rating of the polysubstance abuse disorder was not addressed as it was not part of the original claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral eye disability, including as secondary to his service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI), is being remanded due to the inadequacy of an earlier opinion. The Board finds that establishing a baseline from 2022 in the September 2024 opinion was improper and fails to consider the entire period on appeal.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for DIC benefits, stating that the correct facts were known and no CUE was found. The Appellant argued his stepmother's error in filing a late application should have resulted in an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to February 2, 2014 is being remanded due to the incorrect docketing under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) system. The issue has not been addressed in an SSOC.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation in excess of 60 percent for neurogenic bowel from November 8, 2022, has been dismissed due to the Veteran requesting withdrawal of their appeal.

The Veteran's death was caused by a service-connected condition, and the claim for survivors' pension benefits is dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip arthritis and right hip arthritis, including a total hip arthroplasty. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's eye disability, specifically dry eye syndrome. The AOJ is instructed to obtain a TERA examination and provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's eye disability is related to his military service, including exposure to toxins and environmental factors during his time in the Persian Gulf.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's costochondritis and service.