Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's cancer of the larynx is granted as service-connected for purposes of accrued benefits, effective May 1, 2019.

The Board has decided that the Veteran is not eligible for benefits under VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. The decision was based on a March 2021 review by the Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team (CEAT) which found the Veteran did not meet eligibility requirements due to lack of care from a caregiver or need for supervision, protection, or instruction.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral eye disability, including conjunctivitis, iridocyclitis, and right eye iritis, as there is no evidence of current disability or nexus to service.

The appeal was dismissed due to the appellant's death, and no eligible parties have been substituted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error and needs to obtain an adequate VA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cancer in the pharynx.

The Veteran's service-connected dermatophytosis was rated at 10% for the entire appeal period from May 19, 2019 until April 1, 2020. The condition covered less than 20% of the total body area and none of the exposed areas with only topical antifungal treatment required.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death, and no jurisdiction remains for further consideration.

The Board granted the Veteran's request to add his new spouse as a dependent to his disability compensation award, effective May 21, 2021. The appellant was awarded attorney fees based on past-due benefits from this decision.

The Board has determined that the Appellant is entitled to recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for purposes of Dependents Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits due to their valid common law marriage, despite New Jersey not recognizing such marriages.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of her service-connected heart condition was denied, and she is not entitled to a higher rating. The claim for service connection for tinnitus was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for additional dependency compensation for his child H.B. is denied as the March 2015 decision became final and no new or material evidence was submitted within a year of notification.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a deviated septum has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claim.

The Board denied service connection for varicose veins as there was no evidence linking the condition to a period of active-duty service, and the Veteran did not provide competent medical evidence to support his claim.

The Veteran's death was not connected to his active service, and therefore the appellant is denied plot or interment allowance and burial transportation expenses as they are not payable when a service-connected burial allowance is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left eye peripheral pterygium and right eye pinguecula, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his active service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of July 30, 2019, for the grant of service connection for unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder is granted. The effective date was determined to be June 20, 2020, based on continuous pursuit of the claim since July 30, 2019.

The appeal of the denial of apportionment of the Veteran's VA benefits to the Appellant is dismissed because the AOJ granted an apportionment that was sought in the Appellant's Notice of Disagreement.

The appeal seeking revision of the November 25, 1997 rating decision that denied an initial compensable rating for first degree AV block with LV hypertrophy on EKG is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete findings and a need for additional opinions, particularly regarding service connection for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

The Veteran's service did not meet the requirements for eligibility to nonservice-connected pension benefits due to lack of active wartime service.