Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma, finding that it is related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents used in Vietnam.

The Veteran's death precludes initial eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC), and thus, the appeal is denied as a matter of law.

The Veteran's death precludes initial eligibility for PCAFC benefits, and the appeal is denied as a matter of law.

The Board denied the appeal as the withholding of VA compensation benefits due to concurrent receipt of VA disability compensation and drill pay for 73 drill days during FY 2019 was proper.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal, and the Board dismissed it.

The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was dismissed because the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board dismissed the appeal as the appellant's claim for accrued benefits was granted prior to the decision being issued.

The Board has determined that the overpayment of VA compensation benefits was not properly created due to sole administrative error on the part of VA, and thus grants the Veteran's appeal.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for hypogeusia (claimed as numbness of the tongue due to dental surgery) is denied because there was no evidence that VA care caused or significantly contributed to the disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for thoracic spine disability and left middle finger injury due to insufficient medical opinions in previous decisions. The claims are being returned for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for a financial hardship waiver to recoup separation pay in the amount of $22,980.32 due to the requirement under federal law that VA compensation benefits be withheld from the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of December 17, 2018, for a 70 percent rating for service-connected unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder (trauma disorder) is granted.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of November 22, 2019, for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Veteran's daughter seeks reimbursement for expenses related to her father's last illness and burial. The Board finds that the August 2020 decision failed to provide requisite information required under 38 U.S.C. § 5104(b) and requires additional development.

The Board has remanded the claim for a VA examination and an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's Grave's disease is related to his in-service exposures, including exposure to various fuels, chemicals, contaminated drinking water, PFAS, PFOS, contaminants, and solvents while working decontaminating personnel and equipment and operating, fueling, maintaining, and cleaning large scale generators.

The Board has found pre-decisional duty to assist errors and requires remand for further development before deciding the appeal on the merits.

The Veteran's status post right thoracotomy with recurrent right pneumothorax did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as his pulmonary function tests did not show FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted or DLCO (SB) of 40- to 55-percent predicted.

The Veteran's pityriasis rosea was granted an initial disability rating of 10 percent prior to August 25, 2020. The condition involved intermittent systemic therapy including corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs for less than 6 weeks over the past 12-month period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right ingrown toenails due to a lack of current disability during the period on appeal.

The appeal for Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits under Chapter 35 is dismissed because the appellant's eligibility was already established and they received full-time benefits.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including failing to obtain relevant private treatment records. The Veteran's heart attack in July 2020 is being reviewed again for service connection.