Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right hand trigger finger and bilateral degenerative joint disease have been granted. The effective dates are set at June 4, 2009. The Board has also remanded the cases to determine appropriate initial ratings.

Right thumb, index finger, long finger, ring finger, and little finger strains are granted with effective dates of August 22, 2009.,Right CTS is granted with an effective date of June 28, 2018. The appeal for earlier effective dates for bilateral plantar fasciitis/pes planus and PFB is dismissed.,The appeal for earlier effective dates for chronic headaches is also dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further examination, as the Veteran claims his Hepatic Cell Carcinoma is related to VA treatment with Ranitidine.

The Veteran's domestic partnership under California law is not recognized as a marriage for VA purposes, and therefore the appellant cannot be recognized as a surviving spouse for the purpose of obtaining DIC, survivor's pension, or accrued benefits.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's sinus disability, finding that it had its onset during his active military service and continues to present day.

The appeal is denied as there was clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the award of a separate rating for right leg shortening, leading to combined ratings. The Veteran's residuals of right tibia and fibular fracture are rated at 10 percent, with no higher rating due to functional loss.

The appeal for service connection for the cause of death is dismissed due to the appellant's passing.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for avascular necrosis of the right and left hips due to inadequate examination and missing private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an eye disorder and halos status-post PRK surgery due to duty-to-assist errors. The VA examiner found that the conditions were less likely than not incurred in or caused by service, but further development is required to assess their etiologies.

The Veteran's brain tumors were not related to his military service and the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied eligibility to agent fees based on the grants awarded in a March 2022 rating decision, as the appellant represented a substituted claimant that was limited to only the accrued benefits necessary for reimbursement of expenses of last sickness or burial, which had already been paid to her at the time of his appointment.

The Veteran's application for Legacy S-DVI insurance was denied because it was not received within two years of the December 2015 grant of service connection, and there is no evidence of mental incompetence during that period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to June 24, 2020. Therefore, the claim for TDIU benefits for this period is denied.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected atrial fibrillation, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has found the VA opinions to be inadequate for adjudication purposes and has therefore remanded the claims due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current disabilities and his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's ulcerative colitis is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder (MDD). The evidence supports this finding, including a private medical opinion and VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for service-connected insomnia disorder is granted, with an effective date of August 3, 2021. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms most closely approximated a 50 percent disability rating due to occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for bilateral metatarsalgia before the Board could make a decision.

The appellant is denied recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA death pension benefits because she divorced him many years before his death and did not remarry or cohabitate with him afterward.

The Veteran's caregiver-spouse has been approved for continued benefits under the PCAFC at a Level 1 stipend. The Board granted a Level 2 stipend, finding that the Veteran requires supervision, protection, or instruction on a continuous basis due to his need for personal care services.