Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has recognized J.S. as the Veteran's legal surviving spouse for purposes of VA death benefits, based on her claim that she and the Veteran had a legally separated marriage due to his misconduct without fault on her part.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a second automobile allowance before the Board could make a decision. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's nasal disorder is related to his active-duty service and granted service connection for it.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed abnormalities to the left paracardiac area, including left paracardiac fibrosis and subsegmental atelectasis. Service connection is denied for a bilateral eye disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PED), finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for upper and lower extremity arthritis, as well as a bilateral hip disorder, are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to his service-connected low back disability. The VA is instructed to obtain updated treatment records and schedule the Veteran for VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's back disability and left lower extremity radiculopathy are rated at 20 percent, effective from March 9, 2018. Her left hip flexion and extension limitations are also rated at 10 percent since March 9, 2018.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for increased ratings for right eye and left leg disabilities, so the cases are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to the Veteran's failure to attend scheduled VA examinations. The claims will be reviewed again after new examinations are conducted.

The Veteran's essential tremors are not service-connected as there is insufficient evidence to classify them as a 'Parkinson-like symptom' for purposes of the Agent Orange presumption. The case is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's transitional cell urothelial carcinoma is granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange during his military service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for iliotibial band syndrome, left lower extremity was denied. The Board also denied a separate compensable evaluation for instability of the left knee.

The Veteran's death was caused by an unforeseeable event (anaphylactic reaction to IV contrast media) during a VA medical procedure, and the appellant is granted DIC for the cause of the Veteran's death under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Board has decided that the appellant's claim for survivors' pension benefits needs to be remanded due to incomplete information about her Social Security income and unreimbursed expenses.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, as appeals do not survive their deaths. The case is dismissed without prejudice and will be reactivated if the surviving spouse is eligible for substitution.

The Board has granted service connection for acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) due to Agent Orange exposure, for purposes of accrued benefits.

The appellant is not recognized as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for DIC benefits because her marriage to him did not meet the requirements at the time of his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's spondylolisthesis of the back is at least as likely as not related to service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal of the issue regarding payment or reimbursement for medical expenses incurred on June 20, 2017 at Sampson Regional Medical Center. As a result, this issue is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to herbicide agent exposure, specifically Agent Orange. The decision is pending further investigation and verification of the Veteran's service in the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of Vietnam.