Other conditions Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for a left long (middle) finger disability due to the lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or disease, and because the Veteran's reports of such injuries were inconsistent with earlier statements made during service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for basosquamous cell carcinoma is remanded due to the need for an addendum medical opinion regarding his current skin disability and its relation to service, including exposure to sun in service and herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence addressing the relationship between the Veteran's head injuries in service and his later dementia, which led to his death. The VA is required to obtain a medical opinion on this issue.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to a withdrawal of the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death is not related to his military service and denied entitlement to service connection for cause of death.

The Veteran's extreme thirst is considered a medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness and service connection for this condition due to an undiagnosed illness during service is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the cause of the Veteran's death (metastatic cancer) was related to his service, specifically his presumed exposure to contaminated soil on the flight line in Imperial Beach, California.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for shrapnel wounds because new evidence did not establish a current diagnosis related to service.

The Board has granted an effective date of April 1, 2013 for the award of DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, finding that the appellant's request for a lump sum death payment from Social Security Administration (SSA) constitutes a joint claim under 38 C.F.R. § 3.153 for the purpose of establishing the effective date for entitlement to DIC.

The Board has restored the Veteran's Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) as their employment was considered temporary to cover expenses following a family member's death, and they were unable to continue due to mental and physical health issues.

The appeal concerning the cost of non-VA medical services provided on March 13, 2020, has been dismissed as the AOJ administratively approved the claim.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and therefore he did not meet the criteria for non-service-connected burial benefits. The claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the treatment by Aegis Sciences Corporation on December 4, 2019 was pre-authorized by VA and granted payment for these expenses.

Your appeal has been dismissed because the medical costs have already been paid in full by VA.

The Veteran's emergency medical treatment for a laceration sustained while using a circular saw at home was timely submitted and authorized by VA, resulting in payment of the costs associated with the treatment.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal because his daughter, S., was already granted additional compensation as a dependent school child. The issue is moot since the benefit sought on appeal has been granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's bad conduct discharge was not a bar to VA benefits due to compelling circumstances warranting his prolonged absence without official leave (AWOL). The appeal is granted as it relates to basic eligibility for status as a veteran and entitlement to VA benefits.

The appellant's claim for accrued benefits based on paying B.S.'s burial expenses was denied because the evidence showed that B.S. herself paid the funeral costs, not the appellant.

The appeal concerning the cost of non-VA medical services provided on November 16, 2020, has been resolved by administrative action and is dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an error in the VA medical opinion regarding whether there was carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill in performing the lumbar spine surgery. The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for numbness of the left lower extremity following this surgery.